This series came out of me sculpting the life-size black bear for the Tahoe Gateway monument.

I have seen many big male bears and female bears with their cute bear cubs around my house and off the side of the local roads.

There two schools of thought up around the Sierra Mountains.  A few people see them as a threat when they have gotten into their garbage or breaking into their homes and cars when they smell food.  Many people get so excited when they see them in the wild and respect their distance.