Nestled in the trunk of her car, impressionist painter Natalia Andreeva recorded the vast Alaskan wilderness that surrounded her. She captured the mountainside in vibrant shades and hues of blue and green, her swooping brushstrokes outlining the topography.

The remoteness of the location meant bears and other wildlife were stalking nearby, so Andreeva took safety precautions with that particular plein air — outdoor painting —adventure. 

“I thought it would be better for me to not wander too far because I was alone,” says Andreeva, who has had several close encounters during her many years of painting in nature from South Africa to the Smokey Mountains.

“Once I went with a couple of artists in canoes to paint, and after a while I saw a water moccasin by my boat. I’d never encountered anything like that in the studio.” 

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