Meet the Artist: Nate Reifke

Meet the artist of On Thin Ice, an exclusive design for long-sleeved T-shirts, caps, totes, and sweatshirts created by Nate Reifke for the San Diego Zoo's Polar Bear Plunge!

Nate has served as creative director for the eco-conscious apparel company Mission Playground and in the action sports industry as an in-house designer and illustrator for Sector 9 and Illenium Skateboards.

'As a frequent visitor and lover of the Zoo, it has been a long-time goal to collaborate on a project, and Polar Bear Plunge was the right fit,' says Nate. 'I wanted to capture the spirit of the polar bears and show their vulnerability. It seems fitting, therefore, that the bear should appear as an apparition rather than a solid figure. It's silhouette fades into the background as the icebergs that support its vitality resemble a dissipating paw print.'

Nate will be located at the Arctic Trader gift shop at Polar Bear Plunge.