‘Red Wolf’ 2016 original red Biro drawing by Jane Lee McCracken for the Wolf Conservation Center
Beautiful, adaptable and rare, the elusive Red wolf was once common to the eastern United States where it roamed for thousands of years. Now, critically endangered the wild population of just 45 individuals inhabits northeastern North Carolina, while a captive breeding program includes 200 wolves. Jane’s red Biro (ballpoint pen) drawing entitled ‘Red Wolf’ made for the Wolf Conservation Center, New York captures the beauty and fragility of this enigmatic creature whose wide-ranging habitat once included swampland.
Member of the Wolf Conservation Center’s Red Wolf Pack. Photo Credit: Maggie Howell WCC 2016
With kind permission of WCC Jane used images of their Red wolf pack as inspiration for her drawing. She asked Executive Director Maggie Howell and Curator Rebecca Bose what their own personal favourite qualities of the Red wolf were, and they both agreed “a strong sense of family”. Therefore ‘Red Wolf’ celebrates the three stages of a wolf’s life from pup to juvenile through to adulthood. While an adult Red Wolf treads quietly across a page of history, through a forest of Cypress trees covered in Spanish moss like lacework through its fur, its young pup waits in the den. A Whitetail fawn drinking from a forest pool suggests the tranquillity of nature. Sibling juvenile Red wolves tentatively emerge from the forest, inquisitively exploring the world around them while the adult watches over them.
A limited edition of 50 signed and numbered ‘Red Wolf’ prints is now available from Jane’s SHOP. Each print sold benefits WCC’s vital work ensuring the survival of Red wolves.
For further information about the Wolf Conservation Center visit www.nywolf.org
Detail of ‘Red Wolf’ red Biro drawing, Jane Lee McCracken
Jane Lee McCracken, Artist 