:: Bart's primary interest is in experiencing his subjects firsthand in the wild. He focuses on painting subjects and scenes he has experienced in the wild rather than trying to paint animals he's only seen in captivity. On many of his field trips he uses a sea kayak or a custom made floating blind as tools to experience the behaviors of wildlife up close. Rulon says "all this extra effort pays off in the long run because I get to see the intimate details of an animal's life that most people never see." Its that personal experience that inspires him to re-create an image for others to enjoy, more than the act of painting itself.