“Most wolf pups are born with blue eyes. When they are between
two and four months old, the color will change over to the yellow-gold
color of their mother’s eyes. By six months, the pups will be
nearly her size,” Bonnie Marris tells us. “The pack to which she
belongs will share in the feeding and caring of this litter, but
most of the time they will be hers to contend with.”
“Wolf pups love to play. They will chase and wrestle with each
other just as puppy dogs do. As is often the case in the wild,
many of their games appear to be practice for the things they
will do as adult wolves. When they are not wrestling with each
other, any object becomes fair game for ‘the hunt’. Sticks, feathers,
bones or even their mother’s tail is prey to be stalked and captured
in the safety of their deep wood rendezvous site.”
A degree in zoology sets Bonnie apart from many wildlife artists.
Her understanding of animal anatomy and training in field research
gives her an edge when it comes to developing and executing a
painting. But she will be the first to say that is not the true
secret to creating a great painting. “There must be a passion
about what you are painting that’s so strong it’s an obsession.
A painter misses the mark when there’s technical skill and knowledge
but no life. The animals must come alive.”