Many northern Native American tribes observed the attributes shown by the grizzly bear. They saw its extreme strength, its ability to continue to fight and push forward even if it was seriously wounded. It also had the ability to recover and heal from serious injury. For these and other admirable qualities, they saw the grizzly as a source of “Big Medicine” and that if they could spiritually tap into that source, then they also could benefit.
In this piece I just wanted a simple depiction of a confident grizzly moving forward feeling unhindered by life’s trials. And in a way, this piece reminds me of my father, and I would dedicate it to him. He is a man who has sustained many physical injuries and temporal and spiritual heartbreaks. If there is one quality that I can attribute to this man, it is the ever determination to move forward no matter the nature of the difficult circumstances. In his words, “You can either move forward or give up.” I find strength and a clear answer to life’s trials. Never Give Up.
