Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Wolf in Tooled Leather Frame


While on a trip to Arizona, we visited a wolf refuge. The owner of the refuge was away and his manager let me in the pens with some of them so I could get better photos.

There was a large timber wolf that I really wanted to photograph but could not get in the pen to get better shots. I did, however, get to go into the pen where there were some newborn wolf pups. I opted not to photograph them. First, they were in an underground den and the lighting was not very good. Also, the other wolves in the pen, maybe a dozen or so, were circling around me protecting the pups. They were keeping their distance, but I didn't want to make them any more nervous than they already were.
Earlier, a different wolf came up to me, jumped up and put his front paws on my shoulders. We were eye to eye. I am not short. Neither was he. I didn't need a dozen or so trying that or worse.

This is one of the wolves painted on a bisque platter with fired ceramic colors.