BANFF – When deciding which of John E. Marriott’s famed wildlife photos would translate best into paintings, many were considered, but one sure bet was a tiny grizzly bear cub touching its little furry toes.
“It basically looks like it’s doing yoga,” said the renowned Canmore-based photographer and conservationist. “It’s doing all these different stretches and poses, laying on its back in the grass, and I have three great photographs of it.”
As part of “Roaming Wild”, a collaborative exhibit with wildlife photography from the Canmore photographer and expressive paintings of artist Susie Cipolla, 18 of Marriott’s wildlife portraits have been reimagined with paintbrush and canvas.
The grand opening is Saturday (Oct. 3) at Canada House Gallery in Banff from noon to 4 p.m., with Marriott and Cipolla on site to talk about the gallery and conservation.
Among the colourful artwork and stunning photography, one piece destined to stand out is the cute grizzly cub, looking like it’s better suited in a hot yoga studio than the wild. It will be featured in a series of three images – one print and two paintings – all matched together.
“Susie has quite a unique style and … she’s taken quite a bit of liberty with colours and added colour or changed colour and done all sorts of things,” Marriott said of the exhibit.
“Some of them look very similar and some of them look quite different, which is very interesting.”
The two creatives brainstormed which of Marriott’s photographs local and visiting audiences would be most interested in, with some being the most iconic shots he’s captured in the wild.
Each image and painting is accompanied by a story that tells how far Marriott went to get the photo, which animal it is, and where else it has been featured, such as on a magazine cover or in one of his photography books. Additionally, Marriott’s grey wolf photographs were also recently featured on a Canada Post stamp.
And if you’re looking for a little star power, famous Bow Valley residents such as The Boss grizzly bear and Delinda the wolf will be featured in the exhibit, as well as the wildlife featured on Roam transit bus wraps. If a public bus in the Bow Valley drove past you in the past year, then chances are high you’ve seen Marriott’s handy work showcased on the sides and rear.
“When they go view my photographs and Susie’s paintings, there’s an emotional connection people can see in these animals, staring back at you, in these crisp, vivid photographs and these lovely paintings and art renderings,” said Marriott.
“A little over half of [the exhibit photos] are Banff or Rocky Mountain images, and then there’s six or seven that are from Great Bear Rainforest, Yukon, [and] certainly a few other places scattered about,” Marriott said.
Marriott noted that two portraits are split images, in which half of the faces of a grizzly bear and a lynx are print photos and the other half painted.
It was a process that Marriott and Cipolla, who specializes in wildlife and landscape painting, took the most diligence to get right.
While the majority of Marriott’s photography these days focuses on conservation work, he is grateful to have captured stills of incredible wildlife in their natural environment over the past few decades.
At the gallery, he thinks the exclusive photographs and unique artwork will speak for themselves.
“I think people will go in and just have a real appreciation for nature and the wildlife that’s around us here in Banff and Canmore,” he said.
The exhibit’s prints and artwork will be available for purchase.