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Collector Confidence
What Happens After You Order
- Your print is prepared using archival fine art paper and archival matting.
- Small Works prints are hand-signed and paired with a printed story card.
- Your order is carefully inspected, packed, and shipped with tracking.
- If your print arrives damaged, I’ll work with you on a replacement.
The Story
In the fading light of a spring evening in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a young black bear paused beside a tree before slipping back into the forest. The surrounding shadows were deep, but the bear’s expression held just enough light to create a quiet moment of connection.
The scene was simple and intimate. There was no action, only a brief pause — the kind of small encounter that often defines time spent with young wildlife in the Smokies. The dark forest framed the cub naturally, drawing attention to its curiosity, awareness, and small presence within the larger woods.
Curious in the Shadows reflects the quiet emotional simplicity of the Small Works collection: a fleeting woodland moment, softly lit and briefly revealed before disappearing back into the trees.
Subject
Location
Young Black Bear
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Collection
Mood
Curious, Quiet, Shadowed
Small Work Details
- 6×9 print matted to 11×14
- 8×12 print matted to 16×20
- Hand-signed
- Printed in Dave Miller’s studio
- Companion story card included
- Ready for standard-size framing
See it Framed
8×12 print with 4 inch mat. Framed in a 16×20 gallery frame for illustration
Why I Made This Photograph
This image was selected for the Small Works collection because of its intimacy, soft light, and quiet emotional connection.
The young bear was partly surrounded by shadow, but its small expression and watchful posture gave the scene a gentle sense of curiosity. I was drawn to the way the forest seemed to hold the bear at the edge of visibility — present for only a moment before it returned to the cover of the trees.
Rather than creating a bold wildlife portrait, this photograph depends on restraint. The dark surroundings, minimal composition, and soft evening color allow the moment to feel calm, personal, and quietly alive.
For me, Curious in the Shadows is about the small glimpses of wonder that appear briefly in the forest and then vanish almost as quickly as they arrived.
— Dave Miller
Presentation
Each Small Work is printed on museum-quality paper and matted with an archival off-white mat.
A rigid backing board provides support and protection.
Ready for standard-size framing.
Frame shown for visualization only.
Collecting Information
Available in two matted sizes.
Open Edition
Red River Aurora Art Paper
Museum-quality fine art paper with exceptional detail and tonal range.
Premium, acid-free mat board for long-term preservation.
Archival Matting
Personally signed on the print border.
Free U.S. Shipping
Complimentary shipping within the United States
Hand-signed
Production & Delivery
Printed in Dave Miller’s Studio
Shipped flat
Most orders shipped within 2-3 weeks.
Story Card
Every Small Work includes a companion story card featuring image title, location and short field note from the moment.
