Robert “Bob” Bear was born October 6^th, 1953 in Artesia, California. He has been drawing and painting wildlife for over 35 years, an interest initiated by his father, a silhouette artist and his “first art teacher.”  Experiences with his cousins roaming the Lower Sioux Indian Reservation in Minnesota added to an enthusiasm for the out-of-doors and his understanding of wildlife, which has since been enhanced through countless hours hiking, cross-country skiing, hunting, backpacking, canoeing, and taking photographs while studying North American animals in their natural environments from Alaska to south Texas. His knowledge of natural history has been useful in the lab: for over two years Robert was an Exhibits Specialist and taxidermist for the Kleberg Hall of Natural History at the Conner Museum in Kingsville, Texas.

            His early art training was in commercial art and illustration through Art Instruction Schools of Minneapolis. Currently, Robert is ABD toward a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, has a master’s degree in painting, and possesses a bachelor’s in Art Education.

In 1986, Bear was selected by world-renowned artist/naturalist Robert Bateman to participate in his master class sponsored by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum and Mill Pond Press.  Not only was Mr. Bear considered “the crème de la crème…among the best wildlife artists in the world”, he was awarded a scholarship to attend.

                     Robert Bear has received celebrated distinctions through several accolades, awards, and invitations.  He has been recognized in both Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in American Education.  His paintings have been featured on television and he has been a guest lecturer/presenter for university art students and education associations.  Additionally, he has been a guest artist for various organizations, galleries, Ducks Unlimited, and served two years as president of the Brazos Valley Art Educators Association.  Furthermore, he has had several one-man shows, won best-of-show in national competition and received People’s Choice Award at the Lewis and Clark Center for Arts and History. Robert has exhibited with the Wildlife Heritage Foundation, National Audubon, the National Wildlife Art Collector’s Society, the Oklahoma Wildlife Art Festival and other regional shows. Le Salon Des Nation invited Bear to exhibit in Paris, France. Original works of Robert’s are part of private collections in Alaska, Germany, Japan, and across the United States. 

Thousands of reproductions of his paintings have been donated to raise funds for non-profit conservation and educational organization.

Gouache, scratchboard, pastel, and oil are the mediums Robert likes to use. Not only do Bear’s oil paintings command attention at exhibitions because of their size, (They average over 2,000 sq. in. He has done a mural approx. 22’ X 80’.) but also for their visual sensitivity, moods, and obvious academic execution in demonstrating the control of light and composition. Connoisseurs of wildlife art comment that Robert “sees things other artists don’t.”  His works show an exploitation of the qualities of painting materials and a thorough understanding of the elements and principles of design.  Other professional artists admire Robert’s experimentation; for example, he has used modeling paste to create a stucco wall in a six-foot painting of cliff swallow nests and attached duct tape to the canvas rather than paint the illusion of them.  Bear has also been working with glazing and varnishing techniques in drawings and opaque watercolors on stretched and mounted papers.

Besides having been a wildlife artist and exhibits designer/builder, Robert Bear has held several other art related positions: an art and photography teacher in public schools, an art director, supervisor of a graphic art department for the U.S. Air Force, and freelance commercial artist.  He has done pen and ink  “re-drawings” for a book, Field Guide to Texas Spiders and Scorpions.  Someday Robert would like to run an atelier for nature art and do instructional videos.   If your organization would like to schedule Robert Bear for workshops, classes, or guest appearances, he may be contacted through his agent at the address below.

Joan Ware, Agent      P.O. Box 81    Lampasas, TX 76550    (512) 734-3260

e-mail:  jn_ware@yahoo.com