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.
Suspense Of Beauty for Dec. 8th Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar
Here's December 8th's polar bear art! A detail from "The Suspense of Beauty" .
In this original oil painting, a flash of the northern lights reveals a beautiful polar bear suspended beneath the surface of the sea. A buoyant animal, and 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 our changing, warming climate, the decrease of sea ice formation and the increase between the time it melts and reforms, the fate of the polar bear species, as with this bear, is in suspense. The polar bear fur and face glows against the black, blues and blue-greens of the dramatic background.
30” x 30” x 1.5”. Wired, ready to hang. Certificate of Authenticity.
Available. Click Shop Original Art Reasonable offers welcome!
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#adventcalendar2021 #adventcalendar #christmascountdown #polarbear #polarbearart #polarbearpaintingoftheday #artforsaleonline #artforsalebyartist #polarbearsofinstagram #polarbearsinternational #Churchill #canadianart #WildlifeWednesday #artforthehome #artforthesoul #oilpaintingoncanvas #uniquegiftideas #artforinteriors
Starry eyed for December 7
Here’s today’s Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar . Enjoy your day!
Starry-Eyed is the painting (available here) behind today’s calendar
Here's December 6th's Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar
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 December 4th Polar Bear Advent Calendar Art
Happy December 4th!
I hope you enjoy your Saturday, and although I know it's a busy time of year, I hope you can find a moment to chill like the little polar bear cub in today’s art.
Today's Polar Bear Art Advent Calendar is a detail of the painting "Triplets", here. There was great excitement in the north this year because earlier in the year, a mother bear was spotted with triplets in tow. Triplets used to be a more common occurrence, but none had been spotted for a few years. In honour of triplet cubs, I created these three bears nestled around mama bear in their den. It is almost time for them to depart on their long and perilous journey to the ocean's edge. But for now they are are warm, protected, and thriving on their mother's milk. Mom is patiently a climbing apparatus (know that feeling?) and the siblings provide fun company.
But, as usual, the threat to polar bears from climate change, is always there in my artwork. There is a surprise to this painting. Learn the story behind this painting and the surprise here.
Available for sale. Do you know you can make me a reasonable offer on larger art work?
#adventcalendar2021 #adventcalendarart #polarbear #polarbearcub #triplets #bearcub #animallovers #uniquegifts #canadianart #arctic #endangeredanimals #countdowntoChristmas #Christmascountdown #oilpainting #artforsalebyartist #artfortheheart #artforthehome #wildlifelover #naturelovers #beauitful #cute #paintingoftheday
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”.
Why I Use Polar Bears on my Military Helmet Art
An Art Salute to Polar Bears, Service Men & Women
Salute. My polar bear art on my donation to TPL Foundation Annual Gala 2021
Salute
The artwork on the helmet Salute symbolizes the respect, loyalty and responsibility practised
in the military and also the same that is owed to it by the country it serves.
My art practice focuses on the theme of polar bears, their vulnerability from climate change and the Canadian connection to it. The “strong and free” polar bear shares many attributes with the military - bravery, strength, resilience, and tenacity.
In my series of paintings entitled Golder Bear , I often portray a polar bear face set against a metallic gold, halo-like sun. The sun’s rays reach out connecting the viewer to the bear, the sun and the challenge of our warming climate. Gold paint symbolizes the “wealth” and “value” of nature.
Salute is created in the Golden Bear style. But in this artwork the polar bear’s face is framed by a gold maple leaf. Instead of the sun’s rays to connect us, there is a motif of repeating maple leaves, that blends almost camouflage-like. This “Canadian” pattern connects to the back of the helmet, where the golden silhouette of a soldier, looks ahead in salute, to a setting sun skyline of gold maple leafs. The soldier, the country and the polar bear, all to be valued and protected.
Respect and Remembering
On tonight!! The True Patriot Love Foundation Gala
I am honoured to have my details of my artwork include on the True Patriot Love Foundation Gala Banner. This annual fundraiser is all about supporting Canadian veterans and their families. The art helmet auction is now active and you can check out the terrific art helmets (mine helmet "Salute" lot #14) This is the third year I have created original helmet art with my polar bears on it. The auction is now on and I'll post more about that shortly.
Details of the artwork
The 23rd. A young child plays carefreely on the Canadian National War Memorial. The memorial's 22 figures representing the service men and women of WW1, are ghost like and moving. The child, is solidly rooted in the present.
Remembering. A soldier (my son) stands point on first Remembrance Day back from his extended tour of duty.
Waiting for His Turn to Go. A soldier watches a flock birds migrate. He is waiting for his call to duty.
#remembranceday2021 #remembranceday #canadaremembers#supportveterans #torontoevents #happeningtoday #artauction#artcollectors #helmets #militarycommunity #saluteandrespect
True Patriot Love Gala Auction Nov. 10, 2021 Three leaves contain details of Christine Montague
THE 23.National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ©Christine Montague
Remembrance Day. Not Black and White. Digital art © Christine Montague
Waiting For His Turn to Go. Graphite on illustration board. ©Christine Montague
Here's a Portal to a Sturdy Polar Bear
A Round Portrait for a Round (ish) Bear
"One Sturdy Little Polar Bear" is a contemporary little artwork that serves as a portal to the polar bear's world. The roly poly bear looks just how it should be after a winter of successful hunting and feasting on ringed seal. The twinkle in its eyes is more than the refection of the stars, it is the polar bear's bright intelligence shining through. Because not only is the polar bear the largest bear in the world, it is the smartest, too.
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This painting is available and comes with a round black frame, s signed and wired ready for hanging. Certificate of Authenticity supplied.
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6 inch diameter canvas. + black frame
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$225 CAD incl. taxes+shipping to USA and Canada.
To purchase https://www.christinemontague.com/buy-art-now/one-sturdy-little-polar-bear (opens in new window)
Sturdy Polar Bear ©Christine Montague 6” diameter canvas plus frame makes it approximately 8 inch diameter.
An Invitation to Bring Feel Good Summertime Memories Into Your Home
I’m pleased to announce that my painting Hydrangea Blues has been awarded first prize in the Kefi Art Gallery “Summertime Memories” online juried fine art exhibit in a virtual gallery . I am honoured that a detail of the painting is is used on the invitation below. To read more about this summer artwork, please scroll down.
To see the complete painting , and enjoy a walk through a virtual gallery, please click Kefi Art Gallery (opens in a new window)
Invitation to Kefi Art Gallery Summertime Memories . This is a detail of Hydrangea Blues. Please scroll down to view the complete painting.
Hydrangea Blues is a 60" wide by 20" high oil painting on canvas.
My oil paintings of summer offer escape into days at the cottage or by the lake. They are about the promise of contented, quiet, and mindful moments alone, often before the day begins, or when it is done. They are about solitude without loneliness. They are meant to invoke memories and emotions - good ones - but will probably stir up longing for carefree days and warmer weather, too.
My scenic figurative artworks are mostly inspired by the Canadian locales I vacation at and am fond of, usually in Ontario. Hydrangea Blues, could be easily be in Ontario, and is meant to be universal in mood, but in truth, it is inspired by the beautiful blue hydrangeas that surrounded the century old cottage I stayed at in Chappaquiddick, Mass., USA.
In Hydrangea Blues, a young woman, a girl really, sits in the shade of the cottage. She is lost in thought, her feet resting on the cool flagstone path. She is probably relieved to not only be out of the heat, but to be away from parents and siblings. Whether she misses her friends or her phone, we don’t know. Her thoughts are hidden, as she almost is, amongst the gentle blue hydrangeas.
This painting is one of the most ambitious artworks I have created. A lot of intricate work went into making sure the overlapping leaves and flowers took the eye up and around the figure, across the canvas, then down to zig zag along the path and up the legs and arms to the subject’s face. The brush strokes in her hair point to a branch in the bush, and so our trip around the canvas begins again.
Like most of the world, I love the colour blue, and enjoy using it in my art. It is a popular colour because we equate it to nature , especially sky and water.
It actually makes one feel good to look at a blue painting, and this one is no different. All those beautiful blue flowers, set amongst the fresh green of the leaves, were a joy to paint as well as to look upon.
This painting is created in a slightly more graphic style than what I usually use. There is a lot of an outline to the shapes and the colours are more selective. But I feel this works as there is a brightness and youthfulness in this, that suits both the young model and the subject matter.
Hydrangea Blues. ©Christine Montague 20” x 60” x 1.5” oil painting on canvas.
New! Framed Round Portrait Art
Like a Window to Your Loved Ones
Those of you familiar to my polar bear art, have seen the recent paintings that are meant to be portals to the polar bear world. That series of paintings are on 6 inch diameter canvases and come framed.
It dawned on me that the size is comparable to my 6 inch Little Portrait Paintings commissions, so I wondered what would portraits look like on the larger sized round canvases I was trying out?
I discovered I love creating these round works and so am pleased to offer this new creative service!
Introductory price (for one face) -
6” diameter framed round portraits from a photograph $250 CAD (incl. hst ) plus shipping
12” diameter framed round portraits from a photograph $600 CAD (incl. hst ) plus shipping
18” diameter framed round portraits from a photograph $900 CAD (incl. hst ) plus shipping
Custom larger sizes are available
I hope you enjoy these images as much as I did creating them. Please contact me
Portrait of a Husky Malamute mix. Portrait oil painting . This canvas is 18” diameter plus the black frame (included in price) Introductory price: $850 CAD + shipping. Wired and ready to hang. Certificate of Authenticity supplied. This painting is available for sale.
Portrait of A Young Woman in a Pink Shirt . Portrait oil painting. This canvas has a 12 inch diameter plus frame. (included in price). It is wired, ready to hang. This size is introduced at $600 CAD +shipping. Certificate of Authenticity supplied.
For now this is an example of a 6” diameter canvas + frame. Although I realize you will see Starry Bear is available for for slightly less here , a commissioned portrait , for a variety of reasons( one of them is the lengthier time it takes to create a commissioned portrait) is offered at $250 CAD + shipping.
Happy International Polar Bear day
Why a Polar Bear Day?
Although everyday in my thinking is polar bear day, there is actually an official day created by Polar Bears International (PBI). PBI is the only organization solely focussed on polar bear research, education, and protection . At any time of the year you can find engaging info on their website - www.polarbearsinternational.org . But today, you can watch live events with researchers, do a craft, or see the recordings of this past weeks live events. As well, they have received a double your money matching grants so that your gift will double in value! Money from this grant will go to developing new technology to locate bear dens.
Why Today?
This day was chosen because this is the time of year the mother bear and her cubs emerge from their carefully hidden den. It is a very vulnerable time for mom and cubs.
Once out of the den, they remain by the den for a while as the cubs play, and nurse, building the stamina to make the lengthy journey out to the sea ice. She must be on constant guard for other predators, as the cubs play around her. If you watched "The Nature of Things'" on CBC tv the other night, there is a tense scene as a wolverine, which can take down a cub, or even a moose apparently, skirts the area.
The mother bear may not have eaten in as long as 8 months by this time. I think this is one of the hardest concept for us lay people to understand. The polar bear nutrition is received from the fat of the ringed seal. Even water is obtained from the fat breakdown in its system.
So a polar bear mom has not really eaten all summer long and into the fall. She has dug her den, given birth and nursed her cubs in the den, all living off her own fat.
Now she has judged it safe to let her cubs leave the den. Her cub or cubs (up to 3) will be energetically nursing, and all the while she grows hungrier. At some point she decides it is time to go, and make their way to the frozen sea, where they will feast on seal. That is , after she catches one.
Wait, didn’t I just write it is spring and they are emerging from the den? How is the sea frozen so they can hunt for those oh, so necessary, seals.
Well.. the mother bear could make it to the shores edge in days. but with cubs? According to The Nature of Things -weeks!!
And this is why people are so concerned about climate change. That sea ice is melting sooner, and freezing up later. So that starving mother bear, who must is using up all her fat reserves to produce fat rich milk and feed herself, is at greater risk. and so are her cubs.
Now, according to PBI, industry looking to develop in the north will put the polar bear habitat itself- at risk. This is why it is so important to help them now. www.polarbearsinternational.org
Special for Special Bear, Special Day & Special You
And if you are looking for some polar bear art to cheer up your walls -
Until Sunday, Feb. 28th, 2021, enter code POLARBEAR21 on any of my polar bear paintings to receive 10% off. Free shipping in Canada. Small works ship free to USA.
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Until February 28, 2021 enter POLARBEAR21 for 10 % off all original polar bear art
Until February 28, 2021 enter POLARBEAR21 for 10 % off all original polar bear art
Until February 28, 2021 enter POLARBEAR21 for 10 % off all original polar bear art
Polar Bear Rock
Polar bears rock ! Yes, polar bears are awesome, but there's another way they "rock", too.
In the fall , the polar bear finds its way to the sea’s shore to wait for the ice to form. It has been months since it has feasted on it vital source of nutrition - the ringed seal. And it needs the frozen sea in order to catch this seal, travel, mate, and shelter.
Polar bears are excellent at conserving their energy. They enjoy a nap amongst, (or on) the rocks and willows. It is easy from afar to mistake a still, motley white and cream polar bear for one of the big rocks in the landscape.
In my latest polar bear painting, A Polar Rock Waiting Beneath the Northern Lights, a graphically painted landscape, I strive to bring you into the magic and otherworldliness of the north. It is a world as filled with wonder and danger, beauty and vulnerability, found in any storybook tale.
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30" x 40"x 1.5" oil painting. Edges are black. Wired, ready to hang.
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Regular price is $2500 CAD. However, until Feb 28th, 2021 enter POLARBEAR21 to receive 10% discount in celebration of International Polar Bear Day. Free shipping in Canada
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
Yorkies in Sweaters, Coundn't Be Better
Two Yorkshire Terriers, One Adorable Painting
Do you know that almost all of the portrait commissions I receive are commissioned as a surprise gifts for a loved one? This recent portrait of two adorable Yorkshire Terriers in their hand knit sweaters was no different!
Earlier this year, I was contacted via email to about painting the portraits. The client emailed me the photos. As, the dogs were not together in the photos, I sent back some simple sketches of how the dogs could be painted on separate canvases or together in a composite. The client liked them together, and I quite agreed.
It was a pleasure to paint these little dogs, so full of personality. And painting that little pink tongue and co-ordinating sweater was priceless.
Oh, and about paintings commissioned as a surprise - I personally love to be the recipient of a thoughtful , heart felt surprise, and in no way would I ever want to deprive someone of that lovely moment. This is why, in this age of share everything on social media, you never see my portraits online as works in progress, etc. It is only after I am sure that the recipient has it and loves it, that I may post the portrait. .
If you are interested in a portrait from a photo, please feel free to contact me. OR to read how to commisson a portrait, sizes, prices and examples click here. Portraits can be of people, pets, objects, places, homes, and of course, polar bears! I ship worldwide.
