Study for Stolen Vessel was a Wet into Wet technique and Clarissa Pinkola Estés.

I call this technique "Sombre sur clair". This is French terminology for “dark on light”. I have found that a key feature of interesting mark making when doing dark over light is making sure you’re working into a wet base. See below in this painting by Franz Von Stuck, his soft edge play is attained through having a wet base layer, at some point, that was integrated well into the primary subjects edges. Subsequent glazing layers as well were added.

While making this series of paintings of women and wolves, I was reading this book: “Women Who Run with the Wolves”, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. In this book Estés draws powerful parallels between the Wild Woman archetype and wolves, emphasizing the raw, instinctual power of both. She suggests that modern women need to reconnect with their inner wildness, much like the wolf's natural instincts, to reclaim their vitality and authenticity. Some quotes:

“The Wild Woman is the archetype of the feminine, the untamed, the instinctual, and the natural. She is the very essence of what is wild, mysterious, and uncontrollable. Just like the wolf, she is constantly seeking connection with the natural world, and she is the embodiment of the untamed and the untamable.”

“She is the smell of good mud and the back leg of a fox. She is the howl of the wolf at midnight, the shadow in the trees that runs fast and free.”

(This metaphor captures the Wild Woman’s essence: raw, connected to nature. Just like the wolf, the Wild Woman is free to roam and assert her autonomy)

“The wolf represents a primal energy, one that is deeply connected to the wilderness, yet able to adapt to society’s rules when needed. She is the Wild Woman, who knows when to run wild and when to settle down. Women today must remember the balance between their instinctual selves and the responsibilities they carry in society.”

“To live as a Wild Woman, women must listen to the call of their own instincts, just as the wolf listens to the rhythm of the forest. Society may push them to conform, but they must remember that their true nature, like the wolf’s, is wild and free. It is only through embracing their wildness that they can access their full strength and potential.” (Estés, Women Who Run with the Wolves)

“The Wild Woman protects her soul like a wolf protects her pack. She is fiercely loyal to herself and to the wildness that lives within. No matter how much the world tries to domesticate her, she remembers the call of the wild and cannot ignore the instinct to roam free and to be true to her nature.” (Estés, Women Who Run with the Wolves)

Estés illustrates that both the Wild Woman and the wolf represent independence, instinct, and connection to nature. Women, like wolves, have been domesticated and conditioned by society, but to thrive, they must remember their primal, untamed selves. This wildness is essential to their creativity, strength, and ability to live authentically. Through embracing the wild woman archetype, modern women can reclaim their power and live more fully.