Artwork copyright Debra Davis. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Ursa Major, 1996

Debra Davis
(American, born 1960)

Location: Gold Bar Elementary, Gold Bar

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Ursa Major is a painting by artist Debra Davis. She made it using watercolors, pastels, ink, and collaged maps. The composition features a forest scene at night with a constellation of stars in the outline of a bear. Davis notes, “Ursa Major (The Great Bear) is the first constellation I learned, because it is easy to find the Big Dipper, which is part of the bear. While thinking of making a painting about these stars, I remembered a trail where I’ve seen bear tracks. The trail goes through a mountain meadow to a pass that was formed by a glacier… To me, an important part of Ursa Major is my memories of being in that mountain meadow and of looking at the stars while camping out. I hope the painting sparks memories and imaginings in everyone who sees it.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Sultan School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Northwest artist and naturalist Debra Davis creates paintings and sculptures that are strongly influenced by her summer job as a seasonal forestry technician with the U.S. Forest Service. A longtime resident of Central Washington, Davis received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Central Washington University in Ellensburg and taught art at Yakima Valley College.