SUMMER STARS
by Linda Raynolds, sponsored by
Northwest College
The painting of my bear was inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night", and the constellations Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor, (the Big Dipper and Little Dipper), containing the North Star Polaris. Van Gogh's landscape, with sleepy village, has morphed into something more like Wyoming's hills, sagebrush and cedar. I wanted my bear to be colorful and dramatic, so that it could be appreciated from a distance when it is placed outdoors. I also wanted the painting technique itself to be interesting, so that it could be enjoyed up close as well.
Van Gogh's masterpiece is an icon of 20th Century art. Those who don't already know this image and artist may become interested in his work through my interpretation of his genius. The celestial Great Bear is the pointer to the North Star, the basis of navigation. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the spirit of the Grizzly Bear points us towards a conservation ethic, and a better way to live amidst the bounties of Mother Nature.
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To learn more about the artist and to see a sample of her creations, click here.