Ursus Maritimus
Mary Iverson
Ursus Maritimus by Mary Iverson
Fine-art Giclée print on Italian cold-press watercolor paper
20 x 20 Inches
Limited Edition of 50
Limited Edition of 50
Signed & numbered
Printed with ♥ by Paragon Press
Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery
Photograph by Alex de Vries-Magnifico
"Ursus Maritimus" highlights the polar bears (Ursus maritimus), the world's largest land predator and poster child of global climate change. Polar bears spend most of their lives on sea ice and are hence marine mammals. The ongoing loss of sea ice due to the changing global climate threatens their habitat. For this reason, polar bears are classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Artist Statement
"The saddest thing about climate change is the suffering it is causing in the animal world. The plight of the polar bear is particularly heartbreaking to me because the bears evoke such sentiment. Their majestic countenance combined with a fuzzy, adorable appeal makes my heart melt. I chose the title of this piece, Ursus maritimus, because the bear’s Latin name is more evocative of the actual niche of this majestic creature. What makes this bear really special is that it swims and hunts in the ocean. My print depicts a troubling time for Ursus maritimus; human activities are encroaching upon the pristine Arctic wilderness, and global warming is shrinking the sea ice that the bear needs to survive. I portray the bear as being innocent and also powerless over the situation that is unfolding."
- Mary Iverson -
Artist Bio
Mary Iverson is a painter and a public artist. Her paintings explore the balance between the natural world and industrial activities, inspiring conversations about the causes and consequences of climate change. In 2015, her work was featured in Foreign Policy Magazine, Huffington Post, and The Boston Review. In August, she was the cover artist for Juxtapoz Magazine. Her work is represented by galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Germany. Her most recent mural was part of the Shop Small Mural Program sponsored by American Express and curated by Juxtapoz Magazine. Mary teaches visual art at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington, where she is a tenured faculty member.
