About:

Wolf, 40 x 30

Original water media on paper

Giclee print on paper

2020

Featured image in blog, The Spirit of the Wolf

Artist statement:

The Spirit of the Wolf

Recently feathers have been appearing in my work. I wasn’t sure why, but I listened to them. I think they represent strength, independence, freedom, and flight. Lately I have been getting these types of magical messages – like the feather and putting them in my work. The painting I have been working on this past week is an excellent example.

I live on a Chippewa Indian reservation in northern Wisconsin. My husband and I took a back road scooter ride the other day when we came by some very large glacial boulders. It seemed like they appeared out of nowhere. We had entered a glacial terrain, where ancient glaciers had reshaped the land and left these huge boulders now fringing the road.

I saw some of these boulders lining a driveway to a home, and as I glanced down the driveway I saw a statue standing on a pile of the boulders. Curious, I turned around and went halfway down the driveway to see what the sculpture was. It was a wolf howling. He was standing on top of a pile of those wonderful boulders. The whole thing took my breath away and I just looked at it for the longest time. It was quite spiritual. There were tall pines behind these boulders, and the wolf, and they all felt like they just belonged to there. Another magical moment. Another magical message. A breathtaking ride.

After returning to the studio I began to work on some of the new paintings that I have been working on for several days. These works have gone through many revisions and changes. Nothing felt right. As I continued to work on one of them, I saw the wolf emerge. This is an exceedingly rare work for me – but I’m delighted with it. Natural. Spiritual. I feel the land of the reservation where I live. It is speaking to me and this wolf appeared. Glorious. I listened.

Christine Alfery

Spirit of the Wolf

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