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Yellowstone traffic jams are common place; everyone scurries to catch a glimpse of a wild animal.  People park horribly, often neglecting to pull off the road at all and commonly forget to watch out for other traffic.  “Bear Jams” are the worst.  An opportunity to see a bear roaming free causes the loss of all propriety in even the best driver.

What do the animals think of us always staring, photographing and following them?  In my experiences, the animals seem to go about their own business, paying us no mind then eventually wander off.  There are instances where people have gotten too close and their encounters have been quite different.  On a lighter note,  I’ve wondered if they might see us as a species that migrate during summer months, crowd their personal space and have a rude habit of constantly staring.

I imagined this painting for many years - a “Bear Jam” from the animals perspective; I was never sure what I would call it.  I came up with several titles, some which might be considered politically incorrect, finally “Just Stare Back” seemed appropriate.
 

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