Robert takes time out of his painting schedule each year to study and photograph wildlife in its natural habitat. In May, he travelled to Finland to watch European brown bears in the wild.

Where did you go?

To Martinselonen, Pirltivaaranitie, two miles from the Russian border and not far from the Arctic circle.

When did you go ?

I went in May. The bear watching season actually begins in March when the bears come out of hibernation. But it gets as cold as -17 ° C then, so I waited until May, hoping for warmer weather. But when I arrived Finland was still in the grip of winter and it didn't get above -4 ° C!

How did you get close to them?

Bears can be seen at night as they forage for food and berries. I watched from an 8ft x 4ft wooden hide lit, and warmed, by a hurricane lamp. I got dropped of there at 4pm in the afternoon and picked up at 7am the following morning. My guides put out dog biscuits and salmon in the area around the hide to draw the bears in.

Why did you focus on bears?

I had never seen bears in the wild before and I was curious. Finland is one of Europe 's wildlife hotspots. It was also so nice to be somewhere relatively close to home, compared with my usual long haul trips.

What was your best sighting?

It was watching a mother and her cub. They were sitting happily in front of us until an aggressive male came by, at which point she growled at the cub. At first it didn't appear to be listening to her, until she growled again and then it scaled up to the top of an impossibly tall pine and swayed precariously in the wind until the male had gone.

Did you see anything else that was special?

Yes. Red squirrels. And a lot of bird species such as Siberian jays, nutcrackers and capercaillie.

Have these sightings led to any new paintings?

Yes I've just finished my first European brown bear painting in oil. It will be one of the main pieces fro my Christmas show.

The hide ws equipped with 6 metre flue to take away my scent.

A few facts about European brown bears.

• These bears are nocturnal.
• They live in dense forests but venture out into clearings to feed.
• They are largely solitary animals, preferring to roam alone, although the females will stay with their cubs for two and a half years.
• Cubs a re suckled in their mother's winter den until April or May and then emerge to follow her in search of food.
• A mother will teach its cub essential survival skills, including what kinds of food to eat, where and how to make their dens, and how to behave with other bears.
• She will also fiercely defend her cubs from any enemies.
• But a cub usually leaves its mother when she mates again, out of fear of her new suitor.
• Bear populations in Finland are very stable. They are still hunted but only under license.

Bear Watching – a diary of sightings

Forest Pro-Hide - Night one.

4:30pm Arrive at hide and food put out.
4:45 Mother and cubs playing and scoffing.
7:00 Young male – scared of by male with scar.
7:10 Mother and cubs re-emerge and play with sapling.
7:40 Very large and dark male comes through quickly
8:30 Male with two scars doing some very funny scratching; brilliant light
8:45 Black bear – female. Light still good
9:00 Young one scared away by big male.
9:15 Black – young male.
9:16 Young male with scar on nose.
9:30 Blondie in distance fleeting.
9:40 Black male fleeting.
9:50 Young black bear.
10:15 Mother and cub.
10:30 Another bear approaches, but non-threatening, in background.
10:31 Young pretender runs in, everyone runs off but it is actually a BIG male behind the young pretender which is really doing the scaring.
10:32 Can still photograph but only just.
11:00 Big male back for a few minutes.
11:05 Going to bed – too dark!
11:10 Big male back and then mother and cub. Male leaves and mother and cub feed. Male back and mother and cub go again.
4:30am Young pretender.
4:45 Bear – blond face dark body black spot on forehead.
6:15 Bear.

Night Two – Forest Hide.

5:00pm Arrived and set up. Mother and cubs plus blond with scar back the latter is tolerated by mother and cubs but it could be another daughter.
5:30 Big black teddy arrives.
5:45 Scared off by Blondie who is also scared and hangs off to the right.
7:05 Mother and cubs and two other bears all at once tolerating each other.
7:30 Novaska – big male arrives on scene and means business, all scarper off, but it seems to be mum and cub he's after. One cub and mum up on hind legs and other cub scrambles up a tree. Bear keeps coming and so mother and cub run off and other cub climbs about 100ft up tree while mum diverts male.
7:40pm Big male back on scene and hangs around for 1 hour – I think he may have eaten ALL the food, no-one to chase him off.
Nothing for ages! Everyone terrified.
9:50 Young pretender – bit nervous.
9:55 Blondie appears running in distance; Young pretender takes fright and dashes up tree.
6:40am Blond young male saunters through.

Night Three – Swamp hide.

5pm Arrive and set up.
Four bears chasing through water – off to good start.
6:20 Young blond poses nicely.
6:30 Scared off by big male with bad leg.
6:35 Another large male appears and have a bit of a stand off. Larger one wins in spite of severe impediment – other one chickened out at last minute.
6:40 Other male back and another one too in distance chase off ‘bad leg'
6:50 Another – maybe female – approaches to eat.
8:31 3 bears in quick succession.
9:15 2 bears in quick succession.
10:15 3 bears chasing in distance

Night Four – Swamp Hide

5pm Arrive and set up.
5:10 First bear on scene
5:20 Blond bear with black marks on back
5:30 Necklace appears from left – feeds for a short time and heads off. Blondie appears out of forest and they have a bit of a stand off and chase in distance.
6:00pm Middle Ted enjoys a snack!
6:20 2 bears approaching far right
8:45 5 bears – 4 cuddling etc. artist goes AWOL
9:15 Female
9:30 Female pursued by male
11:30 2 bears
6:30am 1 bear passing by.