Golden Eagle Art Gallery is pleased to offer an extensive collection of world-renowned artworks by Canadian wildlife artist, Robert Bateman.  World-travelled and well versed, Bateman always tells a great story about each of his creations. Here is what he has to say about this piece:

"This mare and foal fell into my lap, so to speak. I should say that they fell into my mental idea box. Since I was a boy I have moved through my world with my eyes open for ideas. I couldn't begin to count the millions of possible painting ideas I have seen and never painted. A select few, however, are extra special and somehow 'make the cut'.

This scene was in Spain, in a beautiful and remote undeveloped area called Extremadura. Usually great ideas take me by surprise. We were driving on a narrow, twisty road looking for rare birds. As we drove past this pair I did a double take and my brain said 'whoaaa'. We backed up and I took a couple of photos. The black against white and the dappled sun and shade were too good to pass up.

The tree is an oak and so the scene could be anywhere in the temperate zone that has rough, stony country. Of course a simple copying of a photo is not what I do. Art begins where nature ends. I completely invented the background. The actual landscape was far too jumpy and confusing. I also had to build my own stone wall since the disorganized jumble of rocks in the real scene distracted from the horses."

- Robert Bateman