Retreat from the Heat

Acclaimed for his depictions of the natural world, Daniel Smith is one of the country's foremost wildlife artists. The surroundings in his native southwest Montana continue to inspire him and provide him with the opportunity to paint from personal experience, which gives his work both striking detail and stirring realism. Smith has admitted an attraction to predators and dangerous game and his affinity for great bears is apparent in "Retreat from the Heat."

As the harsh morning sun heats the earth, the only cool surface available to this magnificent grizzly bear is a rushing stream. The wet fur on his belly and legs attest to the bear's love of the water as he plunges in with his massive front paws. The water itself looks so inviting and the sun, so harsh, that you may have to stop yourself from attempting to share this grizzly's "Retreat from the Heat."