In the Footsteps of the Polar Bears, acrylic on canvas, 20″x16″, $850
Solo Exhibition at Galerie LaFab Oct 17 – Dec 6, 2026 https://lafabsurmill.ca/visual-arts/gallery/
As the title piece greeting you at the entrance of the exhibition, I chose a dramatic close-up to place you directly underfoot, capturing a massive polar bear stepping off a structured ice shelf. By lifting its heavy paw mid-stride to reveal detailed dark pads, it leaves behind two deep, blue-shaded tracks pressed into the frozen tundra below.
The title and this imagery intentionally echo the concept of tracing the footsteps of the dinosaurs – a sobering nod to the threat of extinction facing this iconic species. Yet, within these deep prints of the polar bear, I also see immense hope; a reminder that their future path is still being written.
To turn this intense physical encounter into a pulsing statement, I framed the bear against an exceptionally dense, colourful tapestry of dark indigo, violet, and turquoise mosaic tiles that vibrate with life, compressing the space to focus all energy on the heavy downward tilt.
In the Footsteps of the Polar Bears, both the painting and the exhibition itself, challenges us to look directly at the tracks left behind and reflect on our shared responsibility to preserve these fragile northern horizons before they are erased.
