Wolf Totem

This piece was inspired by an 1890's photograph of a Tlingit grave totem. The wood-carving shows the side view of a large grave totem, depicting a wolf with a prominently outlined mouth, eye, and ear. The totem was created by the Tlingit tribe in Ketchikan, Alaska. The work was done primarily in white colored pencil to emphasize the wood grain and carving technique. This totem is part of a series inspired by Native Alaskan culture at the turn of the 20th century.