This Bear Is Finland's Latest Painter And Perhaps Most Artistic Too

Art comes in all shapes and sizes and so do the artists. This time it is Jusso, a 1000-pound Finnish bear from Finland named Juuso who is turning heads with his painting skills.

According to the Lonely Planet, Juuso is one of the several bears living in the Kuusomo Predator Centre situated in Helsinki, Finland. He has developed a liking for art as he paints his way through the day and admirers flock in to see his artwork. In 2015 Juuso became famous overnight when his owners shot a video and released it, which showed him making "expressionist paintings" with colors on paper and plywood.

Going by the words of his owners, the 1000 pound bear has a temperament to match his interest. Like all great artists, he is also not always in the 'mood', so his owners leave the drawing materials at his disposal early in the morning. The materials consisting of blueberries and strawberries that Juuso uses for coloring along with non-toxic face and finger paints. Members of the center say that Juuso uses his whole body in the process.

According to the Independent, Juuso's home, the Kuusomo Predator Centre is home to a number of bears like him. A majority of these bears is orphaned at a very young age when their mothers are shot or die from diseases and accidents. Besides bears, a lot of other animals are also taken care by the center. Most of the animals kept in the shelter were either found in wounded or starving conditions or as survivors of car accidents.

An art exhibition to showcase the paintings made by Juuso has been opened at the Rupla Gallery in Helsinki on 17^th January. Named "Strong and Soft Touches", this ongoing exhibition has drawn a huge crowd at the weekends resulting in the administrators advising visitors to come on weekdays to avoid the rush.

It is assumed to be the first official fine art exhibition by a bear. Though Juuso himself has been missing from the exhibition subject to his ongoing hibernation time, all the proceeds from the exhibition will go into making a documentary on bears. Till date, the exhibition has raised $8559 for the sanctuary Juuso lives in.

The exhibition is supposed to run until the 2^nd February at the gallery. It has been of great service to the Kuusomo Predator Centre both in terms of showcasing Juuso's artworks and also as a fundraiser for further advancements such as making a documentary on bears and spreading awareness about them.

TagsJuuso, Bear, Finland, Painting, Arts