Winter Spirit Wolf and Grandmother Moon

Title: B'boon Manidoo Ma'iingan minwaa Nokomis Giizis or Winter Spirit Wolf and Grandmother Moon

I painted this when I found out my Cousin had Cancer and did not have long to live.  The grief I felt at learning of his diagnosis. All the memories of our shared childhood running through our town with all the other Cousins, like a pack. I know he will be sorely missed by all of us.

Under the gentle gaze of Nokomis Giizis, Grandmother Moon, three wolves stand silhouetted against a snow-covered landscape, their howls echoing through the winter night. Their voices carry a message of grief, a lament for a beloved cousin lost too soon to cancer. The B'boon Manidoo, Winter Spirit, hears their sorrow and responds with a breathtaking display of waawaate, the Northern Lights, which take the form of a wolf's head in the sky, a symbol of shared pain and enduring connection.

This acrylic painting, is a deeply personal expression of grief, love, and the enduring bonds of family. It seeks to capture the essence of B'boon, winter, a time of reflection and remembrance. The wolves, ma'iinganag, represent the pack of cousins, forever bound by shared memories and unwavering loyalty. The aurora, a manifestation of the spirit world, offers solace and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, love and connection endure. Nokomis Giizis, Grandmother Moon, watches over them all, a symbol of wisdom, comfort, and the cyclical nature of life. It is a time to honor those who have passed on, to cherish the bonds of kinship, and to find strength in the face of loss. The cool color palette and soft lighting evoke the serene beauty of the winter wilderness and the profound emotions that connect us to one another and to the spirit world.