Local Artist Bears All

The Sunshine Coast is well recognized both here and abroad as home to a vibrant arts community consisting of painters, sculptors, musicians and writers from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. Many who originally came as visitors, have chosen to relocate and now call this special place home.

One common attraction and a great inspiration for many of these artists is its rugged natural landscapes contrasted with the laid-back charm of its small seaside communities. Its seemingly infi nite diversity of fl ora and fauna is unmatched perhaps anywhere on the planet and is a never-ending source of inspiration for wildlife artists of all genres who gravitate here from all parts of the world.

The Coast is also blessed with the presence of a robust and thriving black bear population. These beautiful animals are an integral part of the local ecosystem and most residents here have learned to coexist with them respectfully and responsibly.

Gibsons’ artist Karin Taylor is one of the local wildlife artists who continue to be inspired by these incredible creatures. Karin has been creating her own unique vision of yoga bear statues for over 10 years now. Her most recent creation, ‘Boat Pose Bear’ is now a permanent local landmark in Gibsons. The whimsical bronze statue can be found at the bottom of the Inglis trail on Stewart Road as part of the ‘Gibsons’ Art Path’ which connects upper and lower Gibsons.

Karin is also an active member of the ‘Sunshine Coast Bear Alliance’ and has a special affi nity and appreciation for these lovable but often misunderstood creatures. She is always willing to help spread the word to educate locals on best Bear Awareness practices.

You can also support the local arts community by visiting one (or several) of the open-house studios of the many wildlife artists here on the coast. For more information on the annual three-day Art Crawl event beginning on October 20th. see, purplebannertour.com

The goal of the SCBA is to bring awareness to the local community of how we can coexist and learn to live harmoniously with these magnificent animals and to minimize potential human-bear conflicts. The group welcomes interested volunteers and encourages you to participate by contacting them at www.scbearalliance.com