"Wisdom" -This is the star feature of my "Animal-Man" series. Mostly because of the rare inclusion of background. This is a level of depth I usually avoid out of sheer time. This piece, however, was unavoidable. As with most of this series, Wisdom was created out of love. I drew him for my step-father, I started with his love for owls, then expanded to including elements of lessons he taught me, moments we shared, and strengths he nourished in me, all of which can be found in this image. The rabbit with the bandaged leg is kindness, the butterfly: gentility, The globe held by Atlas is responsibility, the wine bottle: tolerance, the flute: music appreciation, the skull: understanding death, the sword: courage, the kettle: survival, the candle: hope, and so on. Many of the books on the shelves behind are shared experiences, connections, and some are just reference to my growing up. My Dad has a different version of this piece, I made a print from the original, then darkened the shadow on the original to bring out the subject more. Dad has the only copy where the background is clearer.

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