Here's Freedom Bear (Green Ribbon ), February's Painting of The Month Special

I had difficulty deciding which of my paintings to offer for this month’s special, All the polar bears in my paintings are doing their grand polar bear thing, but their vulnerability to climate change is always lying there somewhere under the surface. It’s a worry, isnt it?

And January was long enough.

But this little bear oil painting, painted with a little more spontaneity than is my usual after I had just completed a series, exudes that freedom I felt. No pressure to create, it was just for fun. I think it’s one of the happiest paintings, the brushstrokes are free and confident and that brightness and lightness of spirit shines through. Don’t you think so, too?

Freedom Bear (Green Ribbon)

Regular price $300

Special $250

Shipping free to Canada & USA. Prices are in Canadian dollars.

Valid until February 28, 11:59 pm EST

This painting was originally called Green Ribbon ( the stylized northern lights in the background) but I have since renamed it Freedom Bear.

Because polar bears certainly are symbols of living free aren’t they?! In Freedom Bear, we see a happy looking polar bear on its solitary journey through the arctic night. The northern lights, fluttering like a lime green ribbon, light his way.

As with all my polar bear art, this is created in in tribute to the beautiful polar bear, the Arctic and to raise awareness of the vulnerability of both to climate change.

The painting is signed in front, and has a unique work completion number on the back. It is wired and ready to hang. The painting continues around the edge to give a nicely finished look. A Certificate of Authenticity is supplied.

It is 12” wide x 6” high x .75”deep oil painting on canvas

Close up of Freedom Bear

Freedom Bear in my Studio

Freedom Bear on the wall.

Wishing You All the Best For What Lies Ahead

Happy New Year!

Most of you visit this site from Canada, USA and the UK. For those of us in Canada and the US , we are about to have some big changes in leadership, aren’t we, and who knows what lies ahead for us all?

What Lies Ahead just happens to be the title of the painting below.

This lovely polar bear stands on an icy peak, the aurora borealis lighting the path forward.

Our magnificent bear is smart and resilient and she will steadfastly carry on with her (or his) journey through the arctic night.

Wishing you the strength and resilience of the polar bear & much hope, good health and safe travel in your 2025 journey!

A Little Bit More About What Lies Ahead

This is a 12” x 12” by 1.5” acrylic painting on canvas.

The portrait and northern lights are painted using metallic acrylic paints. The brightness symbolizes the stunning northern lights.

The edges of the painting are red. This symbolizes our love for the bear, the arctic, nature and our lifeline connection to it all. It is part of the Wonder and Warning Series.

Thoughtful Reflections

Art that Inspires

One of the great joys of being an artist who sells online, is that I actually get to have some contact with those who collect my art. Galleries are great, but most galleries keep the collectors names to themselves (rightfully so as their mailing list is their business). It is always a pleasant surprise when I receive a collector’s thoughts on why they purchased one of my polar bear paintings or receive a photo of the painting in situ in their home.

Recently I received these thoughtful reflections from a first time collector of my art that I think capture a lot of what I try to say with my painting. I am not bilingual, but these comments were written to me in French and so I wanted to include them in the language written.

Do you see what this person sees in my art? Id love to know in the comments below.

Reverence 1 ©Christine Montague. 12” x 12” oil painting. Private collection.

Reverence 1:   

It calls me to live with love and gentleness for others, because I do not know what they are going through, but everyone needs to feel respected, recognized, and loved. The beauty of the sky in the background gives me hope for a new day that dawns with the determination to do my part to stop the deterioration of the natural world and maintain hope for a better world since despair and resignation cannot benefits only those who exploit the world and others.

Elle m’appelle à vivre avec amour et douceur pour autrui, car je ne sais pas ce qu’ils vivent, par compte tous ont besoin de se sentir respecter, reconnue, et aimer. La beauté du ciel en arrière plan me donne l’espérance d’un jour nouveau qui se lève avec la determination de faire ma part pour cesser la détérioration du monde naturelle et garder l’espérance pour un monde meilleur puisque le désespoir et la résignation ne bénéficie que ceux qui exploite le monde et l’autrui. 

- F. D. Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Reverence 3. ©Christine Montague. 12” x 12” oil painting. Private collection.

Reverence 3:

I feel a lot of the same emotions with this piece, and by juxtaposing them I see the same bear, but in a different state. Sometimes I interpret his roar symbolizing anger towards an environment that is malicious, unhealthy, aggressive, and hostile. Sometimes it seems to me like a cry of anguish, not knowing how else to respond to this new world. A world dedicated to destroying its existence.

Je ressent beaucoup des mêmes émotions avec cette pièce, et en les juxtaposant je vois le même ours, mais dans un état différent. Des fois j’interprète son rugissement symbolisant une colère envers un environnement qui lui est malveillant, malsain, agressif, et hostile. Des fois ça me semble un cri d’angoisse, ne sachant pas comment répondre à ce nouveau monde autrement. Un monde vouer à détruire son existence. 

- F.D. Vancouver, B.C., Canada

If you enjoy my Reverence Series, there are other square foot paintings still available in the series. You can peruse these polar bear and northern lights paintings in Shop Original Art.

Detail - Reverence 2. See the complete painting here.

You're Invited To "Polar Bear Wonder and Warning"

Christine’s Solo Show of Polo Bear Paintings

at the Fireside Gallery at Art Gallery of Burlington June 28 - July 9, 2023

If you live in the Burlington, Ontario area I’m delighted to invite you to my solo show show of recent polar bear paintings.

Wonder and Warning Exhibit. View from atrium . Fireside Gallery at Art Gallery of Burlington. Burlington, ON

The show is a series of work paying tribute to the magnificent polar bear on its solitary journey through the arctic night. But in each painting, evidence of climate change and vanishing sea ice awaits.

More Info on Polar Bear Wonder and Warning Show

Location : Fireside Gallery at Art Gallery of Burlington, Ontario. 1333 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON, L7S 1A9

Please phone the gallery 905 632 7796 to ensure Fireside gallery is open.

Hours: The gallery is closed Mondays. But is open Tues. & Wed. 10 am - 9 pm. Thurs.,Fri., Sat., & Sun. 10 am - 5 pm

Entry: Free, but donations are appreciated.

Parking: Paid parking is available behind the gallery. Free after 6 pm.

Merry Christmas December 25 Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar

Wishing you Peace & Joy Today

A Polar Bear For Christmas Eve

A Starry Night Bear for Christmas Eve December 24th

Here's Polar Bear #22 for December 22 of My Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar 2021

Fuzzball and The Poppies

Today's addition to the Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar is very late because we had a wonderful early Christmas celebration with the new little cub in our family! It seemed appropriate that a baby bear should be the art for today. (To see Fuzzball & The Poppies in its entirety & to learn its symbolism , please click here). I hope your December 22 is (was ) a good one!

Here's Polar Bear #21 for December 21st

Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar. Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Here's December 20 Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar

We’re All in This Together

Today's Polar Bear has a couple of titles - one of which We Are All In This Together. And whether climate change issues (what this was created for with its crown of Canadian provincial & territorial flowers ) or the pandemic, we most certainly are, aren't we? Enjoy your December 20th, may you be safe and well.

To learn more about this available 30” x 30” painting, please click here. Do you know I actually will consider any reasonable offer on larger art? Please contact me here

I Thought You Knew...

…it’s December 19th! I Thought You Knew (Sad Polar Bear ) is Polar Bear 19 of my annual Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar.

December 19th Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar is "In The Pink"

Today's Advent Calendar features the polar bear portrait from my painting In the Pink. Well, Christmas is just a week away and once again family get-togethers here in Ontario, Canada, are being limited due to the spread of the Omicron virus. So we're not quite "in the pink" here, but like this intelligent bear we're cautiously moving ahead. Enjoy your December 18th, and stay safe!

Learn more about In the Pink here

Growl is Polar Bear #17 in the Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar.

Here’s The December 17th Polar Bear, Growl!

Here's December 16th's Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar

Wise Eyes For Troubled Times is Today’s Painting

Inspired by the beautiful, intelligent polar bear that enjoys the solitude, wonder and beauty of its arctic night journey. The bear in this painting gives us a “look”. We know what we have to do, that inner strength, that fortitude, it’s there. The original oil painting is a 6" round canvas, a portal into the polar bear world, and round like our beautiful planet. It is attractively framed in a black, and is wired, ready to hang. To see or purchase the original artwork , please click Shop Original Art

Here's December 15th's Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar 2021

“Hope “ is today’s Polar Bear Art Advent

The Grey is the December 10th Polar Bear Advent Calendar Art

A Beautiful Polar Bear…

.. rising from a grey sea. A grey painting for a grey, but beautiful day here in the Toronto area. I hope you enjoy your day!

Here is December 9th's Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar

Polar Bear Prayers

Today’s polar bear art is created from Polar Bear Prayers, an original oil painting on a 6” diameter round canvas. To learn more about this painting, please click here.

Here's the Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar for Dec. 5th

Into the Northern Lights is Dec. 5th’s Bear

To learn more about this artwork and see it in its entirety, please click Shop Original Art

Here's Today's Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar Bear

It's Dec 3rd! A Sruffy Little Bear is the Face for Today!

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This little cub face is the flip image of "Scruffy" a 12" h x 6" w palette knife painting . The palette knife brings out the texture of a little bear who has been playing hard out in the tundra. It looks like a pretty bright little bear, don't you think? To learn more about the original painting , please click here .

December 2nd Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar

Today’s Polar Bear Art - Polar Bears on a Pedestal

Today’s polar bear art Together on a Pedestal is a detail of the 12”h x 4” w palette painting of a polar bear mom and her cubs. They are happily on the way on the ice.

It's Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar Time!

Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar Begins!

This is the third year of my daily advent calendar posts. Itrs fun for me to create and followers on IG and Facebook have have let me know its fun for them to check up on a daily polar bear countdown to Christmas, too.

Here’s the polar bear for Dec. 1st. It’s digital art, inspired by my painting “The Fall”.