Mystery Print Gallery in

Pinedale is hosting a holiday exhibition, “Animal/

Totem.” This is an invitational exhibit of

small works on display until Dec. 28.

Spinning off from last year’s very popular

and successful “Animal/Shelter” exhibit, this

year artists are exploring the theme of animal

totems.

Animals have been represented in paintings

and sculptures since man’s earliest visual

works on cave walls in Europe, Asia,

Africa, Australia and the Americas. In many

instances, animal imagery has been used to

harness, co-opt or identify with the traits of a

specific animal. Tribal cultures carve animal

masks used in ceremonies, many believing

they become that animal through transformation

during the ceremony itself.

Humans have and still do demark periods

of time through the Chinese calendar and the

Zodiac with animal symbols, believing that a

person born in that particular year or under

that particular sign, imbues them with certain

personality traits. Shields, flags and other

heraldry are emblazoned with lions, wolves,

eagles and other animals, including fantastical

beasts such as dragons, gryphons or thunderbirds.

Animals are used daily to convey the

spirit of what we make, sell, or do – the swiftness

of the impala, the wild strength of the

mustang or the quiet elegance of a jaguar.

Mystery Print Gallery owner David Klarén

invited a group of contemporary artists whose

work he finds fresh and interesting to explore

the theme of animal totems in fun, thoughtful

and creative ways. The artists are provided an

opportunity to explore ideas, materials or processes

that they may normally not use in their

day-to-day studio practice.

Their work could be based in reality, the

fantastical or the mythological. It may be

serious or humorous, fun, funky, science fictional,

intellectual, minimal, environmental or

Courtesy photo

This piece with a fawn is by Laramie

artist Favian Hernandez.

any other adjective one cares to choose.

Since this is considered a small works exhibit,

it allows a broader spectrum of artists

and works to be presented, as well as a selection

of reasonably-priced artworks for the

holiday season.

The artists invited to provide work for this

exhibition include Christopher Amend, Gillette;

Richard Burke, Holland Dutton, Mae

Orm, Sue Sommers and Robin Sruoginis,

Pinedale; Jenny and Sam Dowd, Alpine; Camellia

El-Antably, Eric Lee and Mark Vinich,

Cheyenne; Lea Hardy, Margaret Haydon, Favian

Hernandez and Mark Ritchie, Laramie;

Jun Ishida, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Lyndsay Mc-

Candless and Bronwyn Minton, Jackson; and

Charmian McLellan, Boulder.