I first heard about Takaya when my uncle asked me to do a colour pencil drawing for him. He'd seen the documentary on TV and later found the photo taken by Cheryl Alexander of Takaya standing on a rock which captured his imagination. When I saw the image, I was immediately drawn to the mesmerizing gaze of an animal with a unique and beautiful soul and as he began to take shape on the paper, I felt a growing connection with him, almost like I knew him.