Field Sketches of Lion & Kittens (Pencil on paper).
From our distant vantage point, we could see her bedding down with those kittens, teaching them her disdain for the ravens and magpies that flocked to the carcass. It didn’t matter what she did, they were watching, learning… When mom was ready to leave the remains of the
kill, however, it took some convincing. One kitten happily followed mom up the slope through the deep snow for points unknown. Mother coaxed it along with repeated looks over her shoulder and vocalizations of encouragement, or perhaps verbal demands. The other kitten made a bee-line back to the carcass. To this latter youngster, mom called, and called.. and looked expectantly downhill for the obedience that was desired but never came. In the end she had to run all the way back down to collect that indignant kitten. When the three of them were finally together, we watched as they traversed across the southern face of Druid Peak. I had to laugh as momma, in the lead, almost did a faceplant in the deep snow of a wind-blown swale – I’ve been there and done that face-plant move. The resembled a cougar ‘train’ in the deep snow; the kittens happily following along in mom’s broken trail, bumping and jostling into the ‘car’ in front of them.
These mental images, rooted in motherhood, stuck with me. As with many of my wild encounters, I can’t fully process and understand the experience until I get my hands into some clay – or wax in this case. The sketches below were created during and immediately after the encounter.
“Queen of the Mountain” is cast in bronze in an edition of 30 and is 9″ x 7″ x 2.5″. To see this and other sculptures, see George’s gallery. To purchase, contact us.