Special Offer. Special Bear. Special Day. Special Code. International Polar Bear Day 2021 Celebration

Special Offer! Enter code POLARBEAR21 for 10% off

In celebration of International Polar Bear Day Feb. 27th, 2021 I am excited to offer my polar bear art at a special value! Valid from February 23 - Feb. 28, 2021

(Sorry, cannot be applied to custom art or portraits)

Shop for polar bear art here.

An example of savings -

In the Pink (below) Regular price is $884.96 CAD + 115.04 hst = $1000 CAD

Special price until (and incl.) February 28th, 2021 is $796.46 CAD + 103.54 hst = $900 CAD

BONUS! Free shipping to Canada.

About International Polar Bear Day

International Polar Bear Day is held annually to raise awareness of the polar bear and its vulnerability to climate change. On this day, as well as the days leading up to it, Polar Bears International, a world wide acclaimed resource of research on polar bears, offers a delightful selection of live events .

A lot of what I have learned about polar bears, I have learned from PBI, as well as from another favourite of mine the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC). I had an incredible learning adventure at the CNSC, and it was there, out on the tundra, Our Tundra Buggy actual passed Tundra Buggy One, the PBI research buggy.

As a result, I always try to commit a portion of my polar bear paintings sales to polar bear research.

In the Pink. 24” x 25” oil painting on canvas. ©ChristineMontague More info on this painting here

Painting of the Day - Into the Sunset 1

Polar Bear "Into the Sunset 1"

A powerful looking polar bear is portrayed against the setting sun, and the sea. The darkness of the winter is retreating, as is the sea ice, so important for the polar bear's survival.

As the sun sets, its glory is reflected in what remains of the sea ice and off the polar bear's translucent fur.

We can reflect, too. What will we loose under the threat of climate change? A setting sun offers hope with a new day ahead, but it also symbolizes the end of a story. Do we want a happy one? .

24" x 24' x 1.5" Painting continues around edges. Wired ready to hang. Certificate of Authenticity supplied.

$1000 CAD. Free shipping to Canada. Shipping is available worldwide. Contact me here

Into the Sunset 1 © Christine Montague ChristineMontague.com

The Polar Bear Life Preserver

Polar Bear Life Preserver

The intrepid polar bear, backlit by the northern lights, is perched upon a circular ice floe. There isn't much room, but not to worry, this marine mammal is a powerful swimmer.

The real question is how much sea ice will our bear find located out past the picture frame? It is the frozen sea that the polar bear depends upon for travel, hunting, food and shelter. It is the frozen sea that is the life preserver for our beautiful bear.

12" x 12" x 1.5" oil painting on canvas

Edges are painted black. Wired, ready to hang. Certificate of Authenticity supplied.

$350 CAD. Free shipping to Canada and USA.

Please contact me.

Polar Bear Life Preserver ©Christine Montague

Into the Sunset - A New Polar Bear Series

In this new series of polar bear portrait oil paintings on canvas, a beautiful polar bear is portrayed against the setting sun, and the arctic sea.

It is spring. The polar bear’s solitary journey in search of seals, a mate, and shelter on the sea ice is coming to an end for another year.

The darkness of the arctic winter day vanishes along with the sea ice. Sunshine returns and so do the glorious big sky sunsets.

As the day draws to an end, the sun’s glory is reflected off the open water, the remaining ice, and the polar bear's translucent fur - sea, ice and polar bear connected by its light, colour and warmth.

We can reflect, too. What will we lose under the threat of climate change? A setting sun offers hope with a new day ahead, but "into the sunset" can also signify the end. 

This is the first polar bear painting in the new series . Let me know what you think.

New! Into the Sunset 1. 24” x 24” x 1.50” oil painting on canvas. ©Christine Montague 2019 ChristineMontague.com

Beauty in Suspense

A flash of northern lights reveals a beautiful polar bear suspended beneath the surface of the sea. A buoyant animal, and a strong swimmer, it is comfortable in this underwater space.

But the frozen sea is its true place, vital to travel, hunting, mating, denning.

Due to climate change, sea ice forms later in the fall, and melts too soon in the spring, leaving the fate of the polar bear species, in suspense.

But for the time, in this painting, we can admire the beauty, and power of the bear, envy its solitude, see the intelligence in its bright eyes. Beautiful deep blues, green, and unlike the situation, black and white.

Contact me here more more info about Polar Bear Beauty in Suspense.

Beauty in Suspense. ©Christine Montague 2018 30” x 30’ x 1.5” oil painting on canvas.

Detail of Beauty in Suspense ©ChristineMontague.com

Beauty in Suspence was recently on exhibition at In Situ 2018, an exciting multi arts festival held at CreativeHub 1352 (Small Arms Inspection Building), Mississauga, ON. Canada. Although this photo is anything but exciting (I don’t have permission to publish the works it was hanging by.), it does give a good representation of how it looks on the wall, and how the edges are painted.

Polar Bear in Dark water

Dark Water 1 is an oil painting portrait of a beautiful polar bear swimming.  The water is dark, as daylight is diminished in the arctic fall.

Polar Bear in Dark Water. ©Christine MontagueAvailable at Artworld Fine Art Gallery until July 20, 2017. 365 Evans Ave. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 

But dark water has another implication. The earth’s bright white polar ice cap, which serves as a giant reflector for the sun’s heat, is being diminished by climate change from carbon emissions. The melting polar ice increases the darkness of the planet’s surface (hence “dark water”), decreases the sun reflected back into space, and increases the heat absorbed by the earth. More ice melts, which creates more dark water,  and so the loop continues.

This loop of sea ice loss and increased dark water endangers the polar bear. Although this magnificent bear is a highly intelligent (think great ape), top-of-the-arctic-food-chain marine mammal (the only bear that is such), and is a powerful swimmer (slightly webbed front paws, highly insulated and buoyant body), it is dependant on the frozen sea for hunting (only seal fat sustains them, not berries or birds’ eggs), resting, feeding (can’t nurse in water) and denning (necessary for mother bears with cubs, semi-hibernation, and to ride out storms).  The increase of the period of open water from spring to fall, and the distance between ice tops in winter, leaves the polar bear and its cubs vulnerable to starvation, attack, and drowning.

The polar bear in Dark Water 1 gazes back upon her path, her body twisted as if in question.

It is up to the viewer to imagine how far outside the picture frame the next ice floe waits, and whether or not, until this moment, her journey was a solitary one.

Big Bear Walking

Polar Bear Big

The polar bear is the world's largest carnivore whose place is at the top of the arctic food chain. Adult males can weigh up to 1200 pounds, and the largest polar bear on record was an amazing 2,209 pounds (1001.986 kg).

His brain is big, too. The polar bear is a smart animal, considered as intelligent as an ape.

And he knows how to play. (how smart is that?!) Research scientist, Alison Ames has seen them stack heaps of plastic pipes, then knock them down in elaborate games.

...And then there are those amazing big paws! They act as snowshoes on the ice, and paddles and rudders in the water.

He's big on beauty, too. A distinctive silhouette, thick white fur, small fur-lined ears, dark brown eyes and black nose. 

They have big, serious streetcred here on earth, with an origin that dates back to 4.5 million years ago.

If you would like to know more about this remarkable bear that, by the way, is the only bear that is a marine mammal, please visit Polar Bears International .  PBI is the world's leading polar bear conservation group.

polar bear painting by Christine Montague

If you need more convincing how wonderful these bears are, watch these videos on the baby polar bear saved by the Toronto Zoo. Warning: prepare to seriously bond.  http://www.torontozoo.com/polarbearcub/?pg=Video