Wolves Are Teachers
What can this wolf teach? Patience! Years ago I started a wolf painting, but he was never quite right. I almost gave up! I thought about giving him away, not right! I imagined painting another picture over top of him. Not yet!
We packed up and moved to a new home, taking the wolf painting along. I viewed him as he rested in my studio...what does he need to bring him to life? Several years later, I picked up the book, Living With Wolves by Jim and Jamie Dutcher. I was entranced by the detailed photos and wolf howl CD of the Sawtooth Pack included with the book. I got the double DVD, Living with Wolves and Wolves At the Door. I studied wolves in motion and absorbed their personalities. I marveled at the slanted eyes and lithe bodies mirrored in our working dogs: the Collie, German Shepherd, Belgian Sheepdogs, Huskies, Malamutes, and many more. I cried as I watched.
I got out my brushes and paint with renewed vigor. I gave the winter wolf a complete face lift, rounding out the muzzle and enlightening the eyes. YES! Wolves can have blue and amber eyes just like our blue merle collie, Sky. Brushing snow flurries into the deep, think winter coat, after ten patient years the winter wolf came fully to life! Surprise, it was my collie's face and eyes that appeared to me through loving layers of painting over time.
*Recently I saw the constellation Canis Major, The Great Wolf, following the Hunter Orion in the dawn. I loved watching Sirius rise, the blue-white star tag on the Wolf's collar. I read legends about the Celestial Wolf parting the veiled curtains between Heaven and Earth. I flashed back to our silver collie, Sky, bounding through the deep snow in full winter coat and marveled again at the timeless wolf-dog-human bond. Sky's spirit shines on through Winter Wolf.
*Related Post
A One In A Million Sky, read more about the star Sirius' pulsing light in the Constellation Canis Major.
Living With Wolves book by James and Jamie Dutcher who spent six years in a tented camp in Idaho living with the Sawtooth Wolf pack.
Living with Wolves and Wolves at Our Door, 2 DVD set produced for the Discovery Channel by Dutcher Film Productions. An intimate look into the lives of these elusive and intelligent creatures.
Buck's Heroes, book written by Johnny Mayo as told by his Husky, Buck. Spirits of War Dogs visit Buck at the Viet Nam Memorial Wall and push forward to tell him their personal stories. Full color paintings, for all ages
Spirit of the Wolf CD blends voices of Native Americans and Wolves plus Native American instrumentation
Kerry and the Wolf Shadow, photo by Dahlis
