Based on an iconic painting called Kindred Spirits by Asher B. Durand that depicted William Bryant, the poet and Thomas Cole, the painter together in a similar landscape. I have replaced the human figures with bears and placed many more bears in this scene that I wanted to appear idyllic but majestic in scope. The idea of creating a monumental landscape is what appealed to me and being able to bring the viewer closer by situating a number of smaller vignettes of animals and nature. - Robert Bissell