Central & Gus
Hudson Churchill Polar Bear Portrait Study
Hudson Churchill Polar Bear Portrait Study
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Over the winter, while Eleanor and Albert Black Bear hibernate, a Skunkworks team (made up of the five little mousekin kids of Midge & Mondo Pines Field Mouse) takes over their bakery, Portage Patisserie. Under the cover of night, they follow their passion, concocting with abandon all sorts of unusual treats. The results are always spectacular - made even moreso when wrapped in their whobakedit mystery.
Far to the north, they knew their friend, Hudson Churchill Polar Bear, was celebrating a birthday. They wanted to do something extra special for him: a tastebud trip through time, all in one perfect cupcake. He was born a plump little dollop of sweetness, looking just like the marshmallow icing that topped the cake. It was drizzled with birch syrup, reminding him of trips into the woods with his Momma and sister, tapping the trees and eagerly slurping right from the buckets. Beneath this sweet swirl, now nestled in his big paws, is the lightest, fluffiest wintergreen cupcake flecked with teaberries. As a pup, his mother would often make a wintergreen cake just like this on Sunday afternoons for their family dinner. And teaberry tea, she’d steep from his father’s freshly harvested berries, served on blustery winter nights while blankets of snow piled up outside, insulating their den.
He looked down at that one single candle, memories vivid in his mind. The flame flickered with a comforting glow. As he debated whether to blow it out and make a wish or enjoy its warmth, he heard movement behind him. Turning around, he knew immediately he’d need neither. His family and friends were all there, providing far more warmth than the little candle ever could, and his wish was already granted. Nothing left but to have his cake and eat it, too.
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Portrait Study, 8x10”, 9x12”, or 11x14" in protective cello. Each Portrait Study is accompanied by a whimsical tale of the animal featured. Entirely collectible, the stories intertwine, creating a much-loved community of characters. We print on a luxurious 318 gsm, 100% cotton paper. Soft and durable, this paper showcases crisp detail and vibrant colour.
We donate a portion of gross sales to animal welfare.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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They are — and that's one of the things that makes Central & Gus so unique. Every character lives in the same universe. They know each other, reference each other, cross paths at the switchboard, in the woods, at the patisserie, on the road. Collecting them is a little like reading a novel one chapter at a time — except each chapter fits on your wall or popped in the post for a stamp to someone you love.
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We spent a long time on this. Every Central & Gus illustration is hand-drawn in pencil — and so we are eternally inspired by the classic #2, enrobed in that particular shade of yellow. For that, we call it Ticonderoga Harvest. Studies on colour and emotion find that people associate this shade with joy — which felt exactly right. It also nods, quietly, to our farm roots, everything that grows out of the land, and also to a less tangible but just as important creative harvest. The envelope is not an afterthought. It is part of the story.
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They are extraordinary gifts — and we say that not as a boast but as something we hear constantly from our retail partners and customers. A Central & Gus card is not a card you send and forget. It is a card the recipient reads, re-reads, frames, or keeps in a drawer to return to. The story on the back transforms it from a greeting into a small, meaningful object. We have heard from one customer who had special date-day trips with his young daughter, each time choosing one special card for her coveted collection. The goldenrod envelope alone tends to stop people in their tracks. Another, a fiance purchased the entire set for his partner, a reminder of a day they spotted them in a shop and giggled while reading the stories aloud. These are not cards. They are moments, saved.
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Wholeheartedly yes — and the characters seem to know instinctively which age they are speaking to. Children are drawn to the illustrations, the names, the animals. Adults read the stories and find themselves unexpectedly moved. We regularly hear from customers who frame them in nurseries and living rooms alike, who give them to grandparents and grandchildren in the same gesture. The world of Central & Gus does not have an age. It has a sensibility — and that sensibility tends to recognise itself across generations.
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Yes — and we love that you asked. We offer curated collections and themed bundles. Our Open Water & Coastal set, our Woodland & Hedgerow set, our Wetland & Waterway, or our Start Your Collection bundle are all wonderful entry points. And for those that just wantall of themat once, The Whole Gang brings every character home together at a saving. Bundles make particularly wonderful gifts — there is something about receiving a community of characters at once that feels genuinely special.
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We do — and this is at the heart of everything we do. A portion of every gross sale goes directly to animal welfare. The characters you collect are not just whimsical illustrations — they are advocates. Every purchase is a small act of care for the natural world and the creatures in it. We are deeply grateful for every order that makes this possible.