Land of the Polar Bear

"Polar Encounter", Oil Painting on Linen Canvas.

BAS' most recent research trip took him to Svarlbad, a Norwegian territory within the Arctic Circle. This is a relatively pristine location and one of the few places in the world where Polar Bears can be studied in their natural habitat. Two Polar Bear paintings have already resulted from BAS' trip, "Treading on Thin Ice" and "Polar Encounter", there are more to follow.

The research trip was very inspirational and will provide great painting opportunities ahead, some paintings will require large canvases so as to capture the grandeur of the landscape/icescape of Svarlbad, together with the impressive Polar Bear. Other paintings will include fellow inhabitants of the polar bear, inparticular the remarkable walrus, a creature of size and significance within the region. One encounter with walrus' led to the puncure of one of the expedition's zodiac boats by an inquisitive walrus - one strike with it's formidable tusks penetrated the boats hull with an extremely loud bang - rather the boat than any other unsuspecting adventurer!

Paintings in Progress

It's been a long time since the journal had input, so busy doing other things. Please check out the new addition to The Art of BAS website - Paintings in Progress. This is a section which shows details of paintings currently on BAS' easel.
www.BAS-ART.com

We are always ready to receive input or querries regarding The Art of BAS website, infact, one reason why there is a new section etitled "Paintings in Progress" is due to a prompting from a welcomed viewer named Justin who suggested that such a section would be of interest. So, thank you Justin for your kind prompting and valued insight, much appreciated!

BAS has recently returned from a research trip in Southern Africa. Research trips are usually eventful outings in the wild and this one didn't buck the trend, however, one part of the adventure BAS would never want to repeat! Coming into land at a Game Reserve the seven seater single prop aircraft failed to make the landing and crashed a few hundred metres beyond the landing strip right in the middle of the big five Game Reserve! Thankfully, BAS and his friends Paul and Markus, together with the pilot, managed to escape without serious injury from what could so easily have been a fatal incident.

Monarch of Glen Alladale

Monarch of Glen Alladale is now available as a Fine Art Canvas Limited Edition.
This Fine Art Canvas Limited Edition is being sold to raise funds in support of the visionary conservation work being undertaken at Alladale. It is hoped that the reintroduction of species will continue and the area will once again show the natural wilderness splendor of its glorious past.

BBC2 are currently showing The Real Monarch of the Glen at 7pm on Friday evenings. It's an excellent series documenting the conservation work being undertaken at Alladale Wilderness Lodge and Reserve, exciting adventures further afield in South Africa, Sweden and Argentina are also part of the program.

Alladale Project

BAS is currently completing an oil painting entitled "Monarch of Glen Alladale" which depicts a regal red deer stag in the grand setting of Glen Alladale. This painting will be published as a Fine Art Canvas Limited Edition, from which the proceeds will assist the conservation work being carried out at the Alladale Wilderness Lodge & Reserve in the Scottish Highlands. Alladale is the visionary work of Paul Lister, founder of the European Nature Trust, whose passion for conservation is pioneering such valuable work in Scotland and elsewhere in Europe.

The BBC are presently running a six part series on Monday evenings at 8pm entitled "The real Monarch of the Glen" on BBC2 Scotland (Sky Channel 990), the episodes are to be aired on BBC2 in August.

www.alladale.com; www.mikebirkhead.com

Echo Project

The Art of BAS is working with The Elephant Trust (Amboseli Trust for Elephants, www.elephantrust.org), having spent time with their researchers in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Cynthia Moss is the world's foremost elephant expert and she works tirelessly in the field with her equally dedicated team. Echo is a well know matriarch of one of the Amboseli herds, she has become famous through several BBC documentaries over the years. Now in her senior years, Echo has been taken to heart by many and has given the researchers the most intimate portrayal of elephant behavior, welcoming them into the life of her herd.

Funds raised through the sales of BAS' Echo painting, "Echo of Amboseli", and Fine Art Canvas Limited Edition will directly aid The Elephant Trust (Amboseli Trust for Elephants) and their invaluable work amongst African elephants in particular. The African elephant, as with her Asian cousins, are experiencing unprecedented pressures from mankind and are suffering in many ways. Let's hope that the future is bright for these magnificent creatures, our largest land mammal, that has such a big hearted and gentle nature. The Echo painting and Fine Art Canvas Limited Editions are now available and we trust that the collectors support will greatly assist the work of The Elephant Trust (Amboseli Trust for Elephants).

There are new Conservation Projects soon to be undertaken by The Art of BAS, please review the Conservation Projects section on The Art of BAS website to read about them and join us in whatever way you are able to in supporting the plight of wildlife and nature around this fragile globe.

Art Course in October!

BAS and Su Lees will be holding a 3 day Art Course at Nature in Art, Gloucester, this coming October. Please contact Nature in Art (www.nature-in-art.org.uk tel:01452 731422) for further details and enroll as soon as possible since the Art Course is limited to twelve people. It'll be a very creative few days and we very much look forward to your company at this wonderful location.