My Journey Through Bear Time....Bearfootin' Bear Public Art 2013 for Downtown Hendersonville

I was honored to be asked again by Mike Kai of Morris Broadband to collaborate and create a Bear for this year's Downtown Bearfootin' Bear Project. Having worked with them last year on the "Together We Can" bear, I was excited to be given another opportunity to create a bear to support a new charity and the downtown.

Fiberglass Bear waiting to become Artful

Each bear is a collaboration between a sponsor, a charity, and an artist. Upon completion they are placed on display throughout Downtown Hendersonville from May through October, and are then put up for auction with the proceeds benefiting the chosen charity. 

Last year's bear was a Mother Bear and Cub in a sitting position, while this year's was a full standing Bear. I knew that the height factor and size would be a challenge for me due to my health issues of Lupus SLE and Spondylolisthesis in my spine, but my love of Art and the Bears and Supporting Charities urged me to go forward. 

 Once brought back to my studio it began with a light sanding process to even out its texture and prep for its artful journey. Slowly working through the sanding process was much like a meditation, giving me time to contemplate on the theme of the bear and his design. This year's charity is "Thrive". Their mission is to provide support and opportunities to adults with mental health needs offering community, hope and recovery. Their goal is to help those they serve move from surviving to thriving.

Sanding the Bear...Meditation and Contemplation

During this quiet process the design  had come forward in my mind. The logo of "Thrive" is a sage green leaf branch. I was inspired to incorporate the branch throughout the bear's design, embellishing it further with birds. My artistic take on their mission of moving from surviving to thriving, would now have  birds flying with the branches in their mouths. Along his chest would be a long branch that would symbolically show this process, with a bird beginning in the sitting position...to standing...to getting ready to launch in flight...and then taking off...moving toward a spiral sun that represents its aspirations.

Priming the bear with grey matte prepped my "canvas" for the painting. I used paynes grey, burnt umber, and black to give life to the bear's coat. Using a fan brush, I slowly navigated through giving him texture in his fur.

Textured brushstrokes to give him fur

 Once sanded, primed and the base coat of the bear is done, the exciting part of the design finally arrives. Carefully working around his entire body to accomplish the vision, you find new ways to get to all of the areas. This Bear is taller than me, and so each area had to be worked from a different angle. It was challenging and rewarding at the same time.

There were moments spent outdoors...

Moments spent against work table...

Close detail beginning on face

Birds in Flight toward the Spiral Sun

 I can't truly tell you the length of time it took to complete the Bear, because once in this creative mode....time blends..there are no start and stop times...it becomes Bear Time.
Layers of paint, dry time, paint splattered on clothes, continually moving him to complete your vision, and stepping back to contemplate the process....these things become so much more than doing a painting. It's as if you are creating an entity in itself.

And so becomes "With Wings to Fly", our Bear for the 2013 Bearfootin' Bear Public Art Project.

Front View of "With Wings to Fly"

Back View of "With Wings to Fly"

For those of you that are familiar with my work, you know that most of it revolves around Nature, Animal Totems, and Empowerment...so this project no matter how challenging, is nourishment to my soul. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be involved and hope that it brings a smile to someone's face and that it's message touches someone's heart.
"With Wings to Fly" will be on display in Downtown Hendersonville ( I believe in front of Flight Restaurant) for viewing. His auction will be on October 19th, 2013, when he will be adopted by a loving person.

If you like to learn more about Thrive, the organization that will benefit from it's auction, you can visit their website here
http://thrive4health.org/

Thank you to Mike Kai and Morris Broadband for supporting artists and the community.
http://www.morrisbroadband.com/



Goodbye Old Bear....I will miss our time together.

"With Wings to Fly" and Artist Jeanne Fry

http://www.consciousartstudios.com/

Bear Totem and it's Symbolic Meaning

The Bear is a powerful and healing totem to work with. I have always had a great affection for Bear and the attributes is symbolizes on so many levels. I find it to be an endearing and wise totem for both men and women.
The Bear does not truly hibernate but does go into a state of sleep, quietness, shutting down. It survives from the reserves it has stored up, which is a pertinent lesson in finding a balance with your energy and not "tapping" reserves empty on a daily basis. It reminds us to be mindful of our energy levels each day and to not over extend ourselves.
In today's world it is easy to push ourselves beyond what is healthy for not only our bodies but also our spirit. Bear strongly represents Nurturing.
 The symbolism of this shutting down period is also representative of the winter time, a special introspective time for us humans, and reminds you to give yourself permission to go at a slower pace and reflect...to work through life lessons at a reasonable pace and prepare for renewal. This is an excellent time for writing in one's journal or doing some inspirational reading.

Burlap and Canvas Bear Totem Painting by Jeanne Fry

I think we have a love of Bear because of their similarities to us...they eat a similar diet, they can stand on two legs and walk, but I think the thing that we can truly relate to is their sense of love and protection especially over their young. They will protect them fiercely and love them dearly, just as we humans do. For such a large totem that represents strength, their hearts are just as big.

Bears carry great confidence with them, a surety in their step, and are a good totem to work with if you are learning to step into your own power and find confidence in your decisions. And this with all things requires a balance as well...not to be "too" cocky with your stance that you ignore situations, but that you carefully ponder your course, make your choice, and go forward with strength and fortitude.

Bear Totem Medicine Wheel Painting by Jeanne Fry

Both of the above paintings were sold.
Art Prints of the "Bear Totem Medicine Wheel" are available in our Fine Art America shop here
Bear Totem Medicine Wheel Art Print

http://www.consciousartstudios.com/

The Bear Clan

The Bear Clan

The spirit of the Bear is similar to humans in many ways. They are creatures of habit, their diet is similar to our own, and they have the ability to walk on two legs. But what is it exactly that makes us love them?

To me, the Bear represents Power and Strength, and at the same time when you study them you can find a gentleness to them. I think this is what our big attraction is to them...a powerful being, strong and stoic, with the ability to be caring and loving. You see this profoundly when you watch a mother bear with her young, her sense of dedication and responsibility.

We as humans are always striving to strike that balance of strength and tenderness.

The Bear Clan ~ Original Painting by Jeanne Fry

Bear Clan ~ Mother and Young ~ Original Painting by Jeanne Fry



The original of my Bear Clan painting is not available, but prints and greeting cards of it are available in our Fine Art America Studio