Arctic Dreaming: Polar Bear. Scratchboard and acrylic ink 11 x 14 in. Copyright 2008, Tania Nault.
So if the dream is complete, does that mean this board is now awake?
Arctic Dreaming: Polar Bear, work in progress. Scratchboard 11 x 14 in. Copyright 2008, Tania Nault.
I’m nearly done! Just in case you’re wondering about the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in the lower section, here’s my thoughts: some Inuit groups believe that the Northern Lights contain the souls of the ancestors, including those of the animals. I wondered if Debby’s soul has joined up with her ancestors?
This has been an exciting board - I don’t normally “wing” so much of a board - but for this one, the entire Northern Lights area at the bottom of the board is scratched straight onto the board without any pre-drawing. There was something frightening, yet oddly freeing, about working in this way.
As I mentioned last week after Debby the Polar Bear (Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg) passed away I found myself contemplating a portrait of her based on photos Kevin took when we were at the zoo earlier this year. I chose a pose with her napping and once complete, plan to add colour to this to suggest a reflection of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).
Arctic Dreaming: Debby the Polar Bear, work in progress. Scratchboard, 11 x 14 in. Copyright 2008, Tania Nault.
The Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg announced today that Debby, their beloved 42 year-old Polar Bear, died yesterday. Her veterinarian over the past 24 years, Dr Gordon Glover, made the decision to euthanise Debby when she suffered from multiple organ failure.
Regular readers of my blog will remember me mentioning Debby earlier this year after my husband and I took a photo reference trip to Winnipeg. Kevin got a couple touching photos of Debby as she rested in her enclosure:
Debby Resting: Polar Bear. Photograph, 7 x 5 in. Copyright 2008, Kevin Gates. Used with permission.
Having done a scratchboard of a Polar Bear earlier in the year, I hadn’t considered doing another soon. But I think, for Debby, I will.
No haiku today. I’m on just long enough tonight to let you know that “Up Close and Personal: African Lion” and “Waiting for the Sea Ice: Polar Bear” took first and third place respectively in the People’s Choice Award at the show opening!
I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself tonight, well, I think pleased is now running a close second to exhausted - too many late nights this week. But here’s a couple pics from the show (I’ll post final shots for each on Sunday):
Up Close and Personal: African Lion. First Place RFA People’s Choice Award.
Waiting for the Sea Ice: Polar Bear. Third Place RFA People’s Choice Award.
