In Search Of: Polar Bears

I enjoyed doing this painting. It was quick and fast focusing mostly on composition. I had a lot of freedom playing with the movement of the bears and broken icebergs. Polar bears’ habitat and hunting ground are in the decline. The bears depend on sea ice to hunt for seals. A decrease in sea ice and sea ice platforms moving farther apart mean the bears need to swim further, and a decrease in hunting opportunities while at the same time require to expend more energy. In our lifetime, we will be witnessing a shrinking of polar bear population.

24"x36", oil on canvas
24″x36″, oil on linen

Two of my paintings at the Haggin Art Museum in Stockton CA: Athena and Aegis on the center left and Nike on the center right.
Haggin Museum

Athena: Greek Mythology

Athena and Aegis

In Greek Mythology, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, war, strength, courage, and on and on. It seems like the Greeks just wanted to give this woman all the goods! She’s definitely one of the most well known gods in Greek Mythology. Here, she is portrayed with Aegis, a shield with the head of Medusa, given to her after Perseus finished with all his fun of turning meanies to stones. Yes, it’s alive! How do you attach a head to a shield? Don’t think that was ever explained nor artists do justice to the idea in paintings. Here in my interpretation, the head and the snakes intertwined with the magical shield so that the snakes come in and out of the it. Next to athena is her little owl, also one of her symbols. In the background is her cape, spear, and armor (not shown). It’s her day off!

30" x 40", oil on wood panel
30″ x 40″, oil on wood panel

 

Nike: Greek Mythology

30" x 40", oil on canvas
30″ x 40″, oil on canvas

Nike at Peace – Right, this is obviously not a painting of a shoe :). Nike, aka Winged Goddess of Victory and Victoria, was the goddess of victory in Greek Mythology usually seen in statues and paintings with wings. Here she is depicted as not the glorious figure standing tall, proud, and strong, as seen in so many art, but in a moment of uneasy peace. Nike is close to the goddess Athena, who will be the subject of my next painting. Stay tuned.