Artwork copyright Robert McCauley. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Robert McCauley. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, by Alan Ayers of Make Northwest, 2020.

A Sleuth of Bears, 2013

Robert McCauley
(American, born 1946)

Location: Harriet Rowley Elementary, Mount Vernon

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

A Sleuth of Bears is a painting by artist Robert McCauley. He uses his paintings of animals to “campaign for nature and to remind all humans of our responsibilities as stewards of this planet… I choose to present a moment that does not immediately conjure a doomed future, but rather a moment when nature is in limbo, with a future still to be determined.” A group of three or more bears is called a “sleuth.”

This artwork is part of a curated collection by Kathleen Garrett at Harriet Rowley Elementary School, in Mount Vernon, Northwestern Washington. The local art selection committee wanted these artworks to reflect the local landscape and the spirit of adventure and possibility of Harriet Rowley, the school’s namesake. “Mother Rowley” (1880-1965) was a nurse from Ohio who opened the first hospital in Mount Vernon in 1920. She is remembered for her indomitable spirit and her desire to help others.

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

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist Robert McCauley’s paintings and other artworks are rooted in the tradition of 19th century American Romanticism and its awe of nature. He addresses a variety of themes, including colliding cultures, environmental ethics, humankind’s impact on nature, and the use of nature in art. His subjects are usually animals, especially bears.
McCauley was born and raised in Mount Vernon, Northwestern Washington. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Washington University in Bellingham (Northwestern Washington), and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Washington State University in Pullman, Eastern Washington, in 1972. He served as a professor of art at Rockford College in Illinois for many years. Upon his retirement, he returned to the Skagit Valley in Northwestern Washington, where he now lives and works.