“What you are most unprepared for when you see a grizzly in the wild the first time is the fact that it is so much bigger than you could ever have imagined,” beams Bonnie Marris. “Part of the thrill is that they are so unpredictable-they are friendly looking but dangerous, they look so soft and yet are so tough, they are so intelligent but so wild.

“Watching grizzlies fish is one of my favorite things. They are so preoccupied with the fish and their skills are incredible. They track and corral the fish, even turn over rocks to see if the fish have gone under them. They are so intent on what they are doing they are not bothered by your presence. It is the ultimate artist’s meditation and they simply ignore everything else.

“I really do love 'Fish Tales.' I love that you can see what the bear is concentrating on so attentively. I really wanted to show the roughness of the fur and the cold hardness of the claws. There are so many different patterns in the water, those on the surface and those below it. It’s a very serene painting even though the grizzly is hunting. I like to believe you can hear him breathing.”