Horses have shared the history of humankind since earliest times. My mother
was born into a world where horses were virtually the only form of land
transportation other than using one’s own legs. Those days are now past in
almost the entire world. However, horses still have a place as a satisfying
form of outdoor recreation. Great enthusiasm for the breeding and keeping of
horses in many parts of rural North America remains to this day.
I saw this scene while driving through British Columbia ranchland one
atmospheric winter day. The farmer had unloaded hay in a line from his
tractor. This concentrated the feeding horses in a longitudinal clump. Since
my abstract painting days, I have been attracted to black and white
interlocking shapes reminiscent of the work of Franz Kline. That, to me,
created the power of that central cluster of horses which I see as almost
one form.
Of all the big cats, the snow leopard is perhaps
the most endangered species. Although it lives in one of the wildest and
least accessible parts of the world, the Himalayas, it is very vulnerable.
If the tropics are the richest in life forms, the poles and the mountaintops
are the most sterile. Vegetation is sparse, plant eaters are scarce, and
therefore, the predators will be few and their breeding potential low.
Also, as in most parts of the planet, man is increasing and attempting to
expand his agricultural boundaries. This means his flocks supplant the wild
goat and deer that the leopard feeds on. The leopard naturally turns to
domestic animals and gets killed by the herdsman. Trophy hunters also shoot
him for his rare and luxurious pelt.
The snow leopard is large with thick, gray fur and an exceedingly long and
heavy tail. The tail serves to balance as he leaps from rock to rock and
also acts as a warm muff. The face is different from all other cats, being
very wide between the eyes with a prominent forehead. They like to sit high
in the mountains with a commanding view watching for food that is decreasing
and watching for enemies which, sadly, are increasing
The great gray owl is truly a ghost of the
north. It is fleeting and silent. Its wing feathers have downy edges, making
its flight totally silent. The colors are subdued, and the patterns provide
excellent camouflage.
- Robert Bateman
" I do not mean this to be a frightening
picture. The wolves, which normally avoid eye contact, are staring
straight at you. Although they sense your presence, they can't quite
make you out. They are alert and interested, but not about to attack.
They are equal to the viewer; they are on the same level. The feeling
of slight tension and respect between you and them is mutual . You are
in their domain. Now that they know about you, the will melt into the
gloom."
"It is early morning in the Ngoro Ngoro
Crater. Although this is Africa, the high elevation brings very cold nights
and misty mornings. The solitary lion is plodding his way slowly through the
dewy vegetation. This big fellow is in his prime or perhaps just past it.
Maybe he has lost his pride to a younger male. As he steps out into the
sunlight of the rapidly warming morning, he is still confident and king of
all that he surveys. It is perhaps lucky that he cannot foretell the future.
"
I live on the Pacific coast with its mighty
forests of Douglas fir, red cedar, hemlock and other trees. However, equally
close to our house is a forest of another kind. This is the mighty kelp
forest (Nereocystis luetkeana - 10' to 100' in length, edible). From my
studio I can see, just breaking the surface, the floating bulbs of the bull
kelp. When some is broken loose in a storm and washed ashore, it looks like
great, translucent, tapered, amber plastic tubes, yards long, with a bulbous
end mounted with very long, wavy fronds. High and dry they look sad and
stranded but under water they are visually among the most exciting plants in
the world, not to mention one of the largest seaweeds. They wave and
undulate in constantly changing patterns like a kaleidoscope. The sun glows
through them so it seems they are lit from within. They are always graceful.
Their rhythms immediately bring to mind masterpieces of 'art nouveau'. I
have snorkeled and scuba-dived through and around these kelp forests. It is
always as visually thrilling as a visit to an art museum.
''When I saw this grizzly mother and cub
coming down a distant slope, I kept my fingers crossed that they would come
closer and head up a particularly gorgeous slope. To my amazement they did."
- Robert Bateman
'' I consider Vigilance my most
important bald eagle painting. It has the most dramatic qualities, which is
appropriate for what may be the most dramatic bird in North America. Every
day, the bald eagle must be vigilant to survive. We too must be vigilant,
every day, to protect.''
- Robert Bateman
"I was privileged to visit the best place where
these totems of the tribes of the northwest coast of America still stand. I
felt a strong spiritual presence there, one of the most moving experiences
of my life.
The visages on thepoles face the sea, with their backs to the
giant,
cathedral-like
forest."
Despite his massive size and well-earned
reputation for ferocity, this mighty grizzly appears as docile as a child's
favorite stuffed animal. This giant and oft maligned species of bear is
usually portrayed foraging or on the prowl, either way on the edge of
menace.
Its unretractable claws speak volumes as to its readiness to perform at a
moment's notice. I imagine the gravel bed he rests on is a salmon river, and
the bear is resting up after gorging himself, so perhaps not too much of a
threat at this moment.
