Robert
Bateman is one of Canada's best known artists, his books and prints are
bestsellers, and he was recently mobbed for autographs at the McMichael
Canadian Art Collection. ...more
from Globe & Mail article
Bateman
has had
many one-man museum shows throughout North America, including an
exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC; most of
these shows have drawn record-breaking crowds. His honors, awards and
honorary doctorates are numerous; he was made Officer of the Order of
Canada, the country's highest civilian award.
...more biography and credentials
"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." — Robert Bateman
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.
"
