![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszCkeYbKQ63W7H0rHsXycQuJzCSxDhtAe0qKXZpQk8l2Da04wgi98o1Yfdb3Fd6KTYYkRNhIVz3foe1s5aHVNWszakDN6jcZkLeXsKQpACDko6NakxLIxYy7PLdvxf8mTw53RKqaK2PDm/s400/Verbeck-full.gif)
Thanks to friend of a friend, I received this amazing image of a Frank Verbeck illustration of bears making a snowman courtesy of Fred Taraba of Taraba Illustration Art, LLC. I am grateful to Fred for sending this piece (sold years ago by The Illustration House). Fred's collection of fine illustrations include all the artists who persuaded me when I was a kid into the field of illustration...Bob Peak, Bernie Fuchs, etc...and Taraba Illustration sells their originals to the public. Frank Verbeck (1858-1933) was known for themes with bears. Below is my two cents (a cartoon I pitched to The New Yorker) and maybe the start of my own bear period.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCI8-6oM7hL4UVWJ_kc63jJ1p8K18Nllse08ajO8qeMgkxKv7E6qsX34F7EwgkV2HPzfTTGNYM2WtbCiLj8KqegRPgB04O30Lw4q5Pot1Z1Rk9uh_6mMgdTJfVylx4Mszv2CHCh4rvxoMz/s400/Final-Hats-Bears.gif)