I had to paint this bear when I saw his expression and the way he’s slumped over this rock.  It’s exactly how I feel when I finish a painting…exhausted and just a bit wary.  Any artistic endeavor requires a lot of energy, not just to create a piece but also to keep reworking it if necessary.  This piece needed to be reworked several times before I was satisfied with it.  The lighting was particularly challenging, but the highlights and contrast of the warm and cool tones were a lot of fun.