Artist: John Webster
Puzzle Design: Siri Olson and Marcy Wiedrick
Dimensions: 27.5 cm x 27.5 cm
Piece Count: 235
Difficulty: 2 out of 5
"When he was not learning he sat out in the sun and slept, and ate and went to sleep again."
— Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book
Table of Contents
About the Artist: John Webster
Born in Donnacona just outside Quebec City, John Webster nurtured a passion for art throughout his life. He graduated from the advertising program at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, which launched a successful career in marketing and design — eventually leading him to found his own advertising firm. That background turned out to be excellent preparation for a life in fine art. As John puts it: "Whatever it is you're selling, you've got a salient point, you're trying to emphasize all colours and your eye is directed to a focal point and so forth. The interest in colour and line and composition — they're transferable skills."
He has been represented by Mountain Galleries at the Fairmont hotels in Banff, Jasper, and Whistler since 2015. He currently works and teaches out of the 500 Collective, a group studio in Calgary, Alberta. John is best known for his signature style of Disrupted Realism — and he describes it in his own words better than anyone else could:
"My paintings start with a completely intuitive abstract play of colour, texture and forms, with big neutral areas 'disrupted' by jarring complementary colours. Those vivid marks are designed to deliberately move you through the painting, often from one plane to the next. When I start, I don't even know if the piece will be portrait or landscape in format — it just suggests what it should be and essentially evolves into a bear, or goat, a barn or a portrait."
Bear Necessities is an iconic example of his passion for portrait work and animals of the Canadian Rockies. In it, we see why so many of John's wildlife portraits resonate. This bear at ease, finding the simple pleasures of a sunny afternoon, is practically a self-portrait of John's artistic philosophy: slow down, be present, and let beauty emerge.
Links
- John Webster Fine Art — Official Website
- John Webster on Instagram (@_johnwebster)
- The 500 Collective — Calgary (John's studio)
- "The Bare Necessities" — Wikipedia
Siri and Marcy's Puzzle Design Notes
So many Father's Day images focus on work: fixing things, building things, mowing lawns, and generally being the designated problem-solvers of the household. While those moments are certainly part of the picture, we wanted this puzzle to celebrate something different, and capture the moments when dads get to relax.
A comfortable chair. A favourite drink. A sunny afternoon. No projects, no chores, no responsibilities. Just enjoying the moment.
One of the most enjoyable parts of designing this puzzle was that it was a true collaboration between the two of us. We each took responsibility for different sections of the image, meeting perfectly at the grass line that runs through the scene. Even though we worked on separate areas, the puzzle still feels cohesive, with ideas flowing back and forth throughout the process. One of the biggest advantages of collaborative design is that ideas appear that neither of us would have come up with alone. One whimsy can spark another, and suddenly the puzzle develops its own momentum. Instead of having to invent every idea yourself, you're constantly building on what the other person has added.
Some of our favourite whimsy pieces ended up being small tributes to our own dads. For Siri, that came in the form of a dragonfly. Growing up, her dad volunteered at school events, often choosing the team name Libellule, the French word for dragonfly. For Marcy, the sasquatch was chosen to represent her dad because it was on his favourite beer, and it’s the kind of thing you joke about seeing while camping.
Another detail we enjoyed was the Muskoka chair. Long-time puzzlers may notice that it bears a resemblance to the chair featured in Autumn's Glory. We reworked the shape so it more closely matched the chair in John Webster's artwork while still making for a satisfying hidden puzzle.
If you find yourself humming a familiar tune that shares its title with the puzzle while assembling it, you may also notice a fun detail hidden on the bottom edge.
We hope Bear Necessities brings back memories of the dads, grandpas, mentors, and father figures who taught us how important it is to work hard, but also how important it is to sit back, relax, and enjoy life's simple moments.
Whimsy List
Tongs
Flipper
Fishing Pole
Hiking Bear
Meat Smoker
T-Bone Steak
BBQ
Tie
Tent
Axe
Meeple
Sasquatch
Zippo Lighter
Baby Bear on Dad's Belly
Campfire
Camper Trailer
French Press
Dragonfly
Fishing Lure
Bear Hug
Trout
Fun Locks
Roasting Marshmallows
Paint Roller
Wrench
Hammer
Fish
Bottle
Hidden Secrets
Blue Muskoka Chair
