" ON THE BRINK - RIVER OTTERS "
Robert Bateman

1250 s/n Paper
21.625" x 29.125"
$450

"We used to have otters living under our house the way some people have mice. Our house
is built on a sloping rock outcrop above the sea. In our part of the world, river otters have
not only adapted to sea, but because of lack of nesting sites, have acquired a boathouse/
cottage culture. I felt that it was an honor to have otters, however, as they had torn
out half of the insulation and were starting on the wiring, we felt that something
had to be done.

Since I wanted them to stay around, I did something which I believe has not been done
before - I built an alternative otter house that we could see from my studio and our
bedroom windows. We blocked off the access areas, but they ignored our efforts and
kept getting in and having babies under our kitchen. They assumed that the Bateman
house was the otter house. Finally the last access point was closed, and I'm delighted
to say that they have adopted the official otter house.

Now I can hardly get any work done for watching their antics - rolling and playing and
chasing each other on the rocks below the house. They are gregarious animals and do
seem to spend much of their time having fun. This is why my painting shows the otters
in a group; each one is in a different pose, but all obviously relate to each other. I
made the composition circular. I wanted a rollicking action, almost like a carousel or
a children's playground game. See if you can find the other two otters in the painting."
Robert Bateman

Lutras candensis

  

- On the Brink River Otters - Robert Bateman

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