Wild Things Artwork
by Patsy Lindamood

16" H x 24" W Pastel on Ampersand Pastelbord. "Bear Walk at Avalanche Lake" has been exhibited at the Salmangundi in their 2009 Juried Non-Member Exhibition and selected for the 2009 Paint the Parks100. This piece will be on tour through 2010 as part of the Paint the Parks100 national tour.

During our 2007 trip to Glacier National Park, we spent a few days camping by Avalanche Lake. My huband, who had concluded his fishing efforts for the day, suggested we work our way around the far side of the lake to explore. About the time we decided we should head back to camp for the night, having found no wildlife whatsoever in our "explorations," we spotted a black bear and her cubs coming out of the woods down to the edge of the lake. I started photographing them, and they started walking our way. My husband, who is usually bold and adventurous, admonished me "enough already - time to back away." I ignored him, shooting frame after frame as the sow continued my way. Eventually, I did heed his warning, since it appeared she was intent on working her way on around the lake towards us.

I relish the challenge of depicting reflections in water, and this scene provided plenty of material. As interesting as the reflections are, the repeating "V" shapes in the painting are even more intriguing. The vertically-oriented stone on the left forms a "V" with the leaning stump to its right, then the much larger "V" formed by this leaning stump and the one to its right on the shoreline and their reflections in the water, followed by the bear's hind legs which are repeated in her reflection in the water, finally leaving the painting on the right side with the "V" formed by the bear's neck and front right leg. Even her head, as she looks ahead to scope out the path ahead of her, takes on a soft and subtle "V" shape.