Artist Mike Clarke specializes in anthropomorphous subjects — bears, cats, dogs and other cute critters engaging in human endeavors. Some of his works spoof famous paintings, by such masters as Vincent Van Gogh (Van Baer's Self Portrait, above), Paul Gauguin (Tahitian Bearadise, at right), Salvadore Dali (The Persistence of Bears), Edvard Munch (The Unbearable Scream) and others.

New images online!
The Bird Watcher,
The Megaliths of Easter Island and
In Search of the Mammoth Everything Bagel.

"Piano Wires"
(Renoir's pretty "Girls at the Piano" lacked
the same dogged determination.)

Watch for Mike's Animal Antics in western Puget Sound galleries.

In addition to the parodies of the masters, Mike has created some of his own compositions, including Bear With It, A Bear Behind, The Bear Facts, Wire Tapping, Rosario Cats, Bear-knuckle Prizefight, and Cat Crap.

Mike has recently developed this curious interest in bears. Although he has never actually seen a bear in the wild (and hopes he never does!), Mike believes he has a special intuition for how bears think and feel. Even if you have your doubts about that "fact," he hopes you will bear with him.