Born and raised in B.C., where he lives today, Parker is recognized as one of the top wildlife artists in North America. His original acrylic paintings are avidly sought after and his limited-edition reproductions sell out rapidly.
A full-time artist for fourteen years, he has had ten one-man shows in Canada and the U.S. An Avid environmentalist, Parker supports numerous projects aimed at preserving wildlife and nature.
Parker spends many hours hiking and photographing in areas as diverse as the Arctic and the tropics, gathering first-hand knowledge of his subjects. He has been featured in publications such as Wildlife Art News, Midwest Art, Art Impressions and Outdoor Canada. Four of his works have been selected for exhibition in the prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson Traveling Exhibit and he was one of twelve artists featured in the book From the Wild.
The Grizzly 30/75
Ron Parker
Copper plate etching
33 x 41 cm.
Value: $240.00
Rental per month: $5.00
The grizzly bear has been extirpated from most of the area it originally occupied in North America. Fortunately, British Columbia still has a fairly healthy grizzly population. Bears are in danger world wide because of the lucrative market for their gall bladders and other body parts for oriental medicine trade.
Unlike Alaska, British Columbia has no sanctuaries for the magnificent coastal grizzlies, and they are increasingly losing their habitat because of logging, mining and road building.
The Khutzeymateen Valley near Prince Rupert should be set aside as grizzly habitat while such a prime area is still available for protection. A local eco-tourism industry would guarantee jobs in the future if the valley is saved.
The Khutzeymateen will be logged unless people demand its protection. All too often Homo sapiens have tried unsuccessfully to protect an endangered species when little or none of its habitat remains.
Two copper plates, one for blue and the other for sepia, Aquatint burnishing used along with soft ground life. Image is 12” by 9” (30cm by 23cm).