“Arctic Sovereign” was painted specifically for the North Carolina Zoo’s annual benefit auction. This year, the auction will go towards enlarging their polar bear exhibit to give room for more polar bears, besides the current two, and give a special den for females with cubs. I hope, with this painting, I can give a little to the cause. I’ll share with you the story of their two current polar bears, Wilhelm and Masha. The two male polar bears arrived at the North Carolina zoo on November 19th, 2002. They had been confiscated from a Mexico-based circus among seven other polar bears. All had been mistreated and kept in horrible conditions – cramped, dirty cages, stifling heat, and food fit for an herbivore, not a large carnivore. Plus, the bears were forced to perform with the threat of whipping and other horrible forms of punishment. When the bears were introduced into their new enclosure, it was almost too much. They never had freedom before – a large, cool pool, an inner den for privacy and sleeping, huge rock formations for sun bathing and play. For a long time they stayed inside, used to their tiny cages. Eventually the two loosened up and began to swim and play with their toys to their heart’s content! Over time, their bodies and minds healed from the damage they had taken. They found home. In my painting, the large polar bear looks over his icy domain into the winds. The cold air caresses his fur and soothes his soul. The arctic sovereign is home, and he knows his brethren are too. Info credit to the North Carolina Zoo. www.nczoo.com “Arctic Sovereign” 18x24” acrylic on canvas. © Cara Bevan 2009