Bud Breen and Black Bears

Through his art Bud Breen often commented on the intrusion of modern human life into nature. Above, in Sign of 2 Legged (originally Sign of An Intruder) we see a mother bear stopped short by the remnants of a campfire and the litter of man thoughtlessly left behind. The cubs romp playfully but mother bear knows what this means. White man has made it into her lands and has left his mark. Below, in Close 'N In, a bear seems to look askance at truck intruding on her otherwise beautiful day.

What's that you ask? Isn't Bud Breen a Texas artist? Why is he painting bears? Oh, yes, we have bears in Texas. Mexico too! From the Big Bend to Austin, bear sightings have surprised biologists and the public alike. On the other hand, at least one sighting per year of Black Bears in the Hill Country is not uncommon.