watercolor aceo 7/2014
10,000 years ago the earth was all ice and snow. Everything was white. Then Raven the creator created the Green. Raven did not want to forget the misery of the great ice age so he asked Black Bear, keeper of dreams and memory, to help create a reminder of the long white time. Raven told bear that he could live in peace and safety forever if he would agree to let one out of every ten Black Bears turn white. To this day the white bears…spirit bears….. still roam in the Great Bear Rain Forest of the Pacific Northwest.
Gretchen Del Rio's Art Blog 
Beautiful, love the way it just seems to come together.
Thank you. Spirit bears are so magical to me.
Beautiful bear and story – his eyes are so evocative. so stilling. Have you ever painted an octopus Gretchen? I dreamt of one the other night, the strangest thing, and I’m still trying to connect with him… Thanks for sharing your beautiful work!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. A dream about an octopus…….maybe a call to focus on some deep emotions that may be hidden from you? I have never painted this water creature. Many blessings, Gretchen
Beautiful painting and story. Love it!! ~Sophia
Thank you so much Sophia for your thoughtful comment. It is much appreciated.
The white bear that watches over us in the winter months. He is beautiful!
Thank you. I too love these white bears and now I will think of them as ‘watching over me this winter.’