"ICU2 "  16x20    This is an oil painting on a canvas panel, varnished with Windsor & Newton gloss

One lucky day in September, amid the Covid shutdown and several nearby wildfires,  my wife and I escaped to Yosemite National Park.  We were pessimistic because of the haze created by the nearby forest fires, but determined to go for the drive and the distraction if nothing else.  Anyway, at our very first stop inside the park, behind some rocks, we found this doe calmly having a breakfast of tree leaves.  There was no else at this stop, probably because the Park required reservations. Thanks to Covid and the smoke I suppose.  Anyway, I talked to this doe about life in the Park while I took pictures, LOTS of pictures.  The doe never responded, but she politely hung around until I took all the pictures I wanted.  This composition is almost exactly as I saw it, but I discovered later that this doe had a fawn with her too.  I painted another picture of her with her fawn as well. Later, we saw a large female brown bear and her two cubs – in the top of a very tall deciduous tree – obviously having some tender leaves for lunch.  It was incredible to see this very large bear – maybe 200-300 pounds, out on the ends of these smaller limbs maybe 80-100 feet off the ground. Another painting pending!  So, regardless of conditions, it is absolutely impossible to have a bad day in Yosemite! 

This painting is in a frame that I hand-made from solid walnut.