Near Mount Shasta Ty found himself at a cafe in the tiny picturesque village of McCloud, California; seeking inspiration, he asked the locals what animal best represents the area and they said bear. Ty doesn't draw predators often but are bears predators? Opportunistic omnivores, certainly, but not really hunters. So Ty sat in the cafe, sketched this bear and later inked, painted and framed it. He was gratified when prints sold very well at art markets; and to this day “Gentle Bear” is one of his top 24 artworks.
Ty likes the trash animals, the racoons, opossums, skunks, porcupines, hedgehogs, sparrows and ravens. He identifies with them because they get along in the world despite everything, and if you just left them to their own devices they could find happiness, raise their children, and live their lives. Ty dislikes the predators who run around ruining everyone’s day all the time.
Bears and owls share the liminal space of Ty’s heart devoted to the almost-predators, the fellow survivors. Foxes, too!
Maybe it’s because Artists are so low in the business food chain that Ty identifies this way.
The original was 11”x14”and It started as a pen-and-ink drawing in a sketchbook; Ty watercolored the drawing, mounted it to a craft board, then gifted it to his parents.
Ty glued and pressed this print to this hand-painted craft board, brushed it with glossy acrylic medium in a calligraphic way to give it some texture and to make it a one of a kind, unique artwork.