ROBERT BATEMEN ~ NATURE'S ARTIST

The artist, Robert Bateman, before his portrait of a bison, "The Chief". Bateman is most likely the foremost animal painter on the planet today. Not only does he capture the appearance but also the essence of his subject. He once said that when he painted a creature, he began to truly feel as that creature felt, began to almost represent them in facial expressions. I have only included a few of his Canadian pieces because I wished to portray him as the local artist he is. He lives on Salt Spring Island a short boat ride from where I am. His works from all around the world are equally dramatic. The Serengeti, India, the Far East, wherever Robert goes, he captures the essence of the local wildlife.

I also chose images that reminded me of things I have seen and experienced with the animals he depicted. For example, the Loon on a Summer Morning. When I was younger, I saw and experienced such things hundreds of times as I paddled our canoe around our lake at dawn. My game was to canoe silently as close as I could to these elusive shy creatures before they dove to escape. It was such fun. Or, from that same canoe, watching the flashing jewel glitter of a Kingfisher diving into the water nearby only to emerge with his meal.

Bateman is a humble man, a naturalist, and truly is as he appears to be, a skilled artisan who loves his work. I only wish there were more men like him who trod the earth lightly yet leave a large imprint in the minds of humanity, not the planet itself. I include his observations with the images so you see how he thinks, and perhaps learn about our wildlife. PLEASE click on the thumbnails to see these pieces in their true magnificence.

Lynx at Rest

The lynx is an animal of mystery. Although they are relatively common within their range, they are very seldom seen in the wild. They are mostly nocturnal hunters, and move quite silently. The lynx has excellent eyesight and, with their large ears, they have wonderful hearing. If they are out and about in daylight, they'll notice you first and keep out of sight.

A lynx can be distinguished from a bobcat by its long ear tufts, generous side whiskers, gray colour and over sized feet. Its big, soft feet are, of course, for walking on snow without sinking in.

My painting shows the lynx in a late evening's tranquil moment at the entrance to a cave. It is at peace - lightly dozing prior to its night hunt. As I painted, I felt that the icicles and the lynx were like an oriental carving in alabaster or light jade.

Tundra Swans in the Arctic

The tundra swan is a recent name given to the whistling swan; the new name is far more appropriate. First of all, these birds do not whistle. Their cry is a kind of sonorous, clarion-like yodel; secondly, they live entirely on the tundra regions of North America during the breeding seasons.

The tundra is truly the area of wide, open spaces. It is, by definition, the botanical region which is too cold, too exposed or has too short a growing season to support the existence of proper trees. I have seen relatively ancient willows and spruce, not much larger than a band spread upon the ground, flattened by the wind. The tundra is an area of unobstructed views and big skies. Distant objects may be seen quite clearly, and this is exactly the way the tundra swan likes it. When standing fully erect, the swan's head is almost four feet above the ground, making it perhaps the tallest object in all directions ~ a great advantage in detecting predators.

In this painting, I have shown the male standing guard and the female sheltering the downy, newly hatched cygnets. Since the purpose of this painting is for conservation and environmental work, I wanted to show the "on guard" stance and the hope embodied in the coming generation. My other goal was to depict the breathtaking sense of distance one feels in the wide horizons of the Arctic.

Winter Sunset ~ Moose

Winter is an excellent time to see the larger animals that do not hibernate. The leaves are not on the trees which gives better visibility; the snow makes wildlife easier to see, and you can follow the tracks. In addition, the animals tend to come down to the river valleys in concentrations that can be more easily observed. Moose do not have as hard a time in winter as do deer and the fur bearing animals. Bears, of course, hibernate, and beavers spend the winter in their ponds under the ice. A moose is designed for winter. Their long legs are a great help in striding through the snow, and the dense fur keeps out the cold. They can eat twigs of many different trees but are greatly helped by some open water so that the aquatic vegetation can supplement their diet.

In this painting I have shown a bull moose about to cross a beaver dam in early winter. The pond has not yet frozen. Although the sun has set, there is a glow in the sky which, in this case, shows mostly in the water. Besides portraying a mood of time and place, the interesting challenge, for me, was to show the textures and colours of the water, ice and snow. They are all H2O, yet their physical properties do different things with light.

A moose is an intimidating animal. A big bull is huge ~ weighing up to half a ton and standing up to seven-and-a-half feet tall at the shoulder ~ but is amazingly swift and graceful when moving through thick forest and underbrush.

Very often I have seen moose well immersed in a lily-clad lake. The water lily root is one of the moose's favourite foods. The big head reaches down, totally submerges, fills up its semi-prehensile mouth with roots from the bottom of the muck and brings them up for chewing. A typical sight is the dripping emergence of a head with antlers festooned with lilies and other aquatic vegetation. I have been in moose country very often and usually see their tracks and other signs. I assume that they see or hear me first and keep their distance.

Thinking Like a Mountain

Mount Maxwell on SaltSpring Island is famous for its views of ocean, sky and the surrounding islands. But even more wonderful is the population of eagles in the area. In May, from the top of this mountain, several times I have watched bald eagles doing their aerial mating flight, a dramatic sight. Bald Eagle courtship involves elaborate and beautiful nuptial displays, both calls and aerobatics, including cartwheels, roller-coaster swoops, and chases. It leaves one breathless with awe.

The bald eagle is a symbol in more ways than one. The obvious one is the fact that it is the emblem of the United States of America. It is certainly a handsome bird that brings a lift to the heart and a smile to the lips, even to experienced observers. Benjamin Franklin felt, however, that the American turkey would be a better psychic symbol for the fledgling American nation..



Common Loon on a Summer Morning

Summer has always meant lakes to me. "Going to the lake" has been a common phrase, not only in our family, but in most families I know. We are lucky. The Canadian Shield was just a couple of hours' drive to the north of us, and it goes on and on for thousands of square miles of rock, forest and especially lakes.

I seem to need to be near a lake in the summer, and when the weather is hot, as it should be, I plunge into the water four or five times a day. In fact, I will often carry the painting I am working on down to the dock and work there on the picnic table. I like the sound of the lapping water, the sense of space and the chance to see wildlife . . . more likely than not, a loon. I especially enjoy exploring new lakes by canoe and, of course, the Canadian Shield is great canoe country.

This is not so much a picture of a loon as it is a picture of a lake on a summer morning. The most magic time is just at dawn. The water is still, the wildlife is active, and there are usually faint wisps of mist, giving a sense of air and space. For those of you that have shared this experience, I hope that this picture takes you back to these precious moments and that you can recall not only the sights, but the delicate sounds and fragrant smells.

Spirits of the Forest ~ Totems and Hermit Thrush

I was privileged to visit the best place where these totems of the tribes of the northwest coast of America still stand in the Queen Charlotte Islands. I felt a strong spiritual presence there, one of the most moving experiences of my life. The visages on the poles face the sea, with their backs to the giant, cathedral-like forest.

Sheer Drop ~ Mountain Goats

Of all the American mammals, the world of the mountain goat is the most rarified and precipitous, and yet he negotiates it with the nonchalant ease of a stroll in the park. I would be in a state of sheer terror if I was in their position, but the goats' bland expressions are compatible with their confidence.

They are not a true goat, but are in a special family part way to the antelopes. They also have a unique build. To me, their movements are reminiscent of the strut of a baboon. In addition to creating the texture of the rock, I was very absorbed by portraying the textures of their fur.

A family of Sea Otters

We are blessed, and sometimes a little bit cursed, with otters. We have counted up to 14 of them living under our house by the sea. Although they are river otters they make their living by fishing in the salt water. The down side is that our house sometimes smells like crab paté and they have torn out much of the pink insulation under the living room. The up side is that it is an honour to have otters. They are wonderful, gregarious, wild carnivores who are constantly amusing us with their antics of play, mock fights, mutual grooming and sliding. Even in repose they seem to want to touch one another. It is interesting to note that on a patch of skin the size of a dime, an otter has more strands of hair than most people have on their entire scalp!

Screech Owl in an Apple Tree

As a boy I spent many a day in winter and early spring looking for owls. There was an old orchard we normally visited to check the holes in the trees for owls. Since we didn’t mark them we had to hunt for the holes each year. On one occasion we could have sworn that there was a hole but we couldn’t find it. We went away and came back again for a second check when we realized we were looking right at it but the owl’s head was filling the cavity.

When basking in the daytime owls often almost close their eyes partly to sleep but also for camouflage. Small birds are attracted to owls’ eyes and would mob and pester them. Our screech owl was quite confident that he blended perfectly with the tree. And he did.

I can't conceive of anything being more varied and rich and handsome than the planet Earth. And its crowning beauty is the natural world. I want to soak it up, to understand it as well as I can, and to absorb it. And then I'd like to put it together and express it in my paintings. This is the way I want to dedicate my work.

Raven Roost on a Moonless Night

I am a possibilist. I believe that humanity is master of its own fate... Before we can change direction, we have to question many of the assumptions underlying our current philosophy. Assumptions like bigger is better; you can't stop progress; no speed is too fast; globalization is good. Then we have to replace them with some different assumptions: small is beautiful; roots and traditions are worth preserving; variety is the spice of life; the only work worth doing is meaningful work; biodiversity is the necessary pre-condition for human survival.

Ground Squirrel

I've never thought sitting around worrying helps anything, except to help shorten your life.


Grizzly at Rest

What I notice most in nature is its variety - each square inch in a landscape has its own particular texture and sculptural quality. The grizzly is a landscape-like animal; each part of the animal has different qualities.

It is difficult to talk about this amazing creature h in a generic sense as it is so closely connected to what is going on in the Stein River Valley, one of the most beautiful and pristine valleys in British Columbia ~ probably in all the west coast of North America. The Stein River Valley runs in from the coast of southwest British Columbia to the intersection of the Fraser and Thompson Rivers; all three rivers are rich with salmon. Along the banks of the Stein River are as yet untouched, unspoiled old-growth forests. All kinds of wildlife, including mountain goats, grizzlies and mule deer, live an undisturbed existence there.

When I was first planning this original lithograph, a local chief asked me to do a grizzly bear. He told me to paint a grizzly because "The grizzly bear is the keeper of the land." I said, "Wow, that's great. That's what we should all be ~ keepers of the land."

What I notice most in nature is its variety ~ each square inch in a landscape has its own particular texture and sculptural quality. The grizzly is a landscape_like animal; each part of the animal has different qualities. I enjoyed showing the play of light and shade in the textures on his face. I chose a close-up view of the head and shoulders of the grizzly to show the expression of the grizzly's face, he is dignified yet concerned. He is at peace. We all share the grizzly's responsibility of preserving our habitat.

Polar Bear Profile

The polar bear is one of the largest and most powerful carnivores in the world. Some say he is more impressive than the grizzly bear and can be just as devastating. However, his white coat seems to make him less threatening. It can be easily seen why his white coat would be good camouflage in winter, even though it is as dark as night most of the time. However, in summer, one might think that white fur would show up against the rocky tundra landscape. It is interesting to note that beneath the fur coat, the skin of the Polar bear is pitch black to hold in warmth. The polar bear does not do much hunting inland, and even in summer the coast and bays of the Arctic are full of pack ice. This is his habitat, and seals are his usual quarry. The white coat is perfect concealment for stalking a basking seal.

Seal in Northern BC

The most important question facing the planet is: Is it worth it?


Ocean Rhapsody ~ Orca

Like wolves, killer whales have a special place in the hearts and imaginations of humans. Deep down we may realize the kinship. Although we belong to three different types of mammals, wolves, whales and humans have evolved as killers. We can be completely ruthless with other species in order to provide food for ourselves. Unlike humans, wolves and whales seldom kill their own kind. We three species are social animals that are very intelligent, communicative, teach our young and have complex family attachments and group activities. The big mystery to me is that in spite of our abuse and threats to wolves and whales, they have almost never picked on us. They could kill us easily but they evidently don't want to hurt us.

Another damaging thing we as a species are doing to killer whales is over-fishing. In large areas of Alaska where sea otters have been most abundant, their numbers are plummeting. Between the 1970's and 1990's otter numbers dropped from 53,000 to 6,000! This is because the seals and sea lions, an important prey of the killer whales are running out of fish and their numbers are in steep decline. Killer whales, being intelligent, opportunistic creatures have changed their hunting habits to prey on sea otters that formerly were so small as to be snack food. With sea otters getting scarcer, sea urchin populations are booming. Sea urchins eat kelp, particularly the holdfasts that fasten the great kelp beds to the sea floor. This means that kelp 'forests' are being depleted which takes away sea otter shelter and makes them more vulnerable to killer whales.

The kelp forests are also important breeding grounds and shelter for marine fishes. This, in turn, exacerbates the problem of over-fishing. Nature is not only more important than we know, it is more important than we can know. We make major changes in it at our peril!

This is why I have featured the bull kelp with its subsurface epiphyte in this painting. It is an important and overlooked natural world and it is beautiful. In the hazy distance a killer whale swims by. Although I have not actually seen this while scuba diving, the hairs stand up at the back of my head at the thought of it.

Norther Reflections ~ Loon Family

I was honoured to be commissioned to do a painting which was to be the present of the Government of Canada to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales when he was married. The suggested subject of the painting was loons, which delighted me as they are among my favourite birds, with wonderful associations with the Canadian northland. Their ringing call is one of the north's most memorable sounds.

The setting of the painting is in Killarney Park in northern Ontario, and the pre-Cambrian quartzite cliff, the clear water and the plants and bushes are all very typical of this part of Canada. Looking at these cliff faces is almost like looking at a painted mural. Nature has been working on it, building up a pattern of lichens and mosses and ferns. I wanted to recreate this mural effect, and established a strong abstract shape that is repeated in the reflection in a broken-up, many-faceted impressionist way. The scene is placid, but the composition's interest comes from the tension set up by having the loons in the bottom right-hand corner and the overhanging hemlock branches up on the left.

Kingfisher and Aspen

A staccato rattle sounds. There is nothing else like the call of a kingfisher. I am near a lake, and he is flying, but I can't see where. For some reason when I hear one I always want to see him. I like his shape, his air-scooping flight, and perhaps I might see him hover, plunge and catch a fish. Then I see him flash by the aspen along the shore. Wait a moment! It wasn't a 'him', it was a 'her'. You can tell by the rusty flanks.

Universally, the kingfisher is found near water and fish. To me, in North America, it always symbolizes clear, blue northern waters. The typical tree of this area, especially in the autumn, is the trembling aspen. The leaves like medallions of gold, tilt and glint in the sun because of a flattened rather than rounded stem. Even in the slightest breeze, it shimmers and produces a gentle, rustling sound like distant moving water.

Iceberg and Humpbacked Whales

It was one of those magical evenings - unplanned and unforgettable. Our ship had been visiting the fascinating capes and bays of the Antarctic Peninsula. We had witnessed spectacular landscapes of mountains and glaciers and had crammed in visits to clamoring penguin colonies populated with tens of thousands of birds. Normally, after dinner, the vessel would be steaming on to the next day’s destination but the timing in this case meant that we had a few hours to spare.

The sea was like glass and on the spur of the moment the expedition leader decided to lower the Zodiac inflatables so that those who wished it could have a peaceful, almost private tour among the ice floes and bergs. The long polar twilight turned the sky and sea into a lavish and changing display of colour. The ocean was so calm it was as if we were suspended in an undulating spectrum. The great bergs towered above us as sculpted mountainous islands from some ancient fairy tale.
Giant humpback whales would be mere specks in comparison. We did not actually see them that evening but they could have been there. The next day we had the thrill of a lifetime when one "spy hopped" a few feet from our Zodiac, its encrusted face poised vertically, and examined us for several long moments. We had been seeing humpbacks almost daily so I added a couple of the world's largest animals as contrast for the majestic icescape.

Elk at Yellowstone

I came across the forest pool at dusk one day many years ago. There was no particular center of interest but the running linear pattern of the trees and the perfect reflection caught my eye. As in many of my paintings, shapes and forms found in nature are reminiscent of non-objective painting. That is the reason for putting on my metaphorical brakes and stopping and saying, 'That could be a good idea.' It is intuitive and not logical at all.

Of course, there were no elk in the scene; I am seldom that lucky. Virtually all of my paintings are creations assembled from a variety of sources. I am always trying to capture a moment in time, which could have happened.


Curious Glance ~ The Red Fox

The red fox is the most widespread carnivore in North America. I have seen him in the Arctic tundra and in the deep South. His success depends largely on his sensitivity and native intelligence. He has a sort of love/hate relationship with mankind. He has exploited man wherever possible, but his beautiful fur and crafty ways have earned him a begrudging admiration.

“In England, the most blue-blooded outdoor activity is the fox hunt, which is more of a gallop across the countryside than a hunt. The only element of sport is the fact that the cleverness of the fox in evading the hounds makes it somewhat of a challenge.

“This fox is sniffing at the open door of a very old barn in the early morning. Because of his persecution, he will be hidden most of the day. If he finds anything worth eating here, it would be a rat or mouse, and it would be of help to the farmer. Actually, the unusual supports for the barn are carved stone pillars which are used to keep out the rodents.”

Cougar at Pinnacle Cliff

The cougar is one of the largest cats in North America, second only to the jaguar which can sometimes stray across the border into the southern United States. Stealthy, elegant, sometimes dangerous, the cougar has suffered from persecution as have other large predators. Humans do not like competition. The simplest way to resolve this conflict is to ensure that large areas of wilderness are set aside so that the cougars and the other predators such as wolves and bears can have free reign to live as their ancestors have done for thousands of years. The cougar would then be free to roam without fear of man's encroachment and the inevitable consequences.


Awesome Land ~ Elk

Fortunately, there are vast tracts of our planet where nature reigns. In this landscape, I was awed by the sense of endless lonely lakes, rivers and mountains and, beyond them, more lonely lakes, rivers and mountains.Wow.