Just Off the Street Art

On By ResaIn Murals

Woman Warrior & Wolf

A MAGICAL WORK OF ART

Walking along Queen Street, through a door thrown open to the world, this appeared on a wall.

Looking in, I asked & was granted permission to photograph it for my blog.

The yellowness on 1 side is due to an incandescent light bulb.

Magically, the woman transcends into a wolf.

Love

Are indigenous women allowed to wear the headdress?

Times Are Changing

Tammy Cook-Searson, chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, received her headdress as a gift from the community.

Derek Nepinak, Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says: “At some point, indigenous people need to sit down and have a discussion about the headdress, and have that discussion openly, under the light of day, amongst all of our people,”

Click on Tammy Cook-Searson’s image to read the full CBC article.

A wall behind had another wonderful image.

Pics taken by Resa – August 25, 2025

Toronto, Canada

The artist: Upon inquiry, I was told “One of the guys that works here.”

ANGLED SHOTS

162 thoughts on “Just Off the Street Art”

  1. I love this, Resa (and your sequence gradually revealing the entire artwork)! I wonder if the wolf and crows (ravens?) symbolize clans or a story, but in case, I like them.

    Thank you for the article, too. I didn’t really know anything about headdresses. Perfect timing, too, with us having just celebrated Indigenous People Day (aka Columbus Day 😬), and I have about 50 pages left to read of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter.

    1. Thank you, Merril!

      It is such a lovely piece of art. I don’t know if the animals are specific to this painting and its artist, but I know they are important to indigenous cultures. And to me.

      The article was a great find, prior to posting this. I believed, from long before, that only men were allowed to wear the bonnet. So it was interesting to find that according to Canadian government statistics “Close to one in five chiefs in First Nations communities is a woman.” 

      I know it’s not much, all things considered, that Canada gave them back (sort of because it’s not its own country) a massive chunk of northern Canada. It is called Nunavut,(capital city Iqaluit) and is one if 3 Canadian Territories. They would be provinces, but the populations aren’t high enough.

      So, how is The Buffalo Hunter Hunter? I might read that.

      1. It is lovely art, Resa.

        The Netflix series North of North is set in a fictional place near the arctic in one of those territories. It’s a romantic-comedy. Cute, but interesting because of the setting a people.

        I have about 40 pages left to read of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. I like it. It’s one I’m definitely going to be thinking about, but it is a literary novel (despite the vampire), and it took some time to get into. I’m going to be interested to hear what other people in the book club think (if they read it).

            1. I just put it on hold at the library! I’m #50 in queue.

              Meantime, I’ve read your book. I started slowly, then today Norm had to go to emergency at the hospital (4 blocks away). I’m at home waiting while he’s having a CatScan.

              My good friend for 40 years called. I started reading to her(for 2.5 hours) . We got choked up a few times. We’ve decided Sister Songs is our poem.

              The acknowledgements were eloquent, and moving as well.

              Thank you, Merril! You shine.

              1. Oh no! I hope Norm is OK! Sending good thoughts.

                But about my book–wow, Resa! Thank you so much. ❤️ I’ve overwhelmed by your comment.
                I’m not sure if I’ll read “Sister Songs” on Sunday because I might cry. I think one of my sisters will be on the Zoom.

                1. Norm is okay. Getting a prescription filled today. He needs to eat. He’s barely touched food for over a week.
                  Oh, and the photos to go with your poetry are sublime.
                  I understand about “Sister Songs”. Powerful.
                  I’m just watching on Sunday. It’s my first time watching a Zoom.
                  Maybe in the future, I’ll try reading. ❤️ I

                  1. I’m glad Norm is OK!

                    Thank you! ❤️ I have 3 featured readers, but I don’t expect most people will be reading. If you’ve never used Zoom before, try to get set up a few minutes before the start in case you have problems. You just have to remember to mute yourself, and you can have your camera on or off (so everyone can see you or not).

                    4. My husband is going to be on cat-wrangler duty. Ricky used to always be part of my poetry Zooms. These two usually are sleeping, but last time, Davy was climbing everywhere where he wasn’t supposed to be.

    1. Yes, I agree. Woman to wolf, wolf to woman the connection is marvellous.

      This is a beautiful work of art. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!

    2. Hello Martha!

      I was on you blog and saw amazing cars. I love the tale about you seeing the vintage care in the woods, and hearing “Smoke On the Water”. The cartoon is hysterical.

      I left a comment on the first one, but I don’t see it.

      This always worries me, as it may have gone into SPAM. If I am in there, please free me!

      Have a wonderful weekend! xx

      1. No worries, dear Resa! I just enabled your lovely comment. I did put the comment function on “manual release” a while ago because I did get a lot of SPAM comments and that bothered me a lot. 😉
        Have a great weekend too, dear Resa!

  10. What a wonderful piece of art Resa! I really like the details and the woman becoming wolf! It’s really beautiful and I am glad you could go and take photos so we can have a look.

  11. I always love how you bring us slowly to the full picture, Sorceress.

    This is gorgeous.

    Are you sure it’s not the wolf who transcends into a woman? 😉

    xoxoxoxoxoxo

    1. Either way, wolf to woman or woman to wolf works for me.
      Also, woman is a wolf, wolf is woman, woman has the strength and cunning of a wolf.
      Whatever the message, I love it.
      Thank you about my presentation, Thunder. I just want everyone to see it in a way I do, when I find the art.
      xoxoxoxoxoxo

      1. Of course. I am also teasing you, as you well know.

        And of course you are absolutely correct.

        I love it, too.

        You do it so very well!!

        xoxoxoxoxo

    1. Thank you!
      I agree,Brad, and I too was thinking either way works – wolf to woman, or woman to wolf.
      OR, perhaps woman is a wolf, the wolf in woman, a statement of strength.

  14. Timothy Price's avatar Timothy Price

    The artistry is phenomenal. I love the warrior woman changing into a wolf. Very much like your tree. Tammy Cook-Searson looks wonderful in her headdress.

    1. YES, just like my tree! I’m a warrior with my tree.
      Tammy looks marvellous. I learned this morning that 20% of all Canadian tribal chiefs are women.

  15. I love the black and white decision here, and the resulting image is wonderful. A very nice find, and also very nice to be given permission to share it here with us, Resa. (I also like the slow reveal here!)

    1. Thank you, Bruce!
      It’s not just about showing a pic of the art, but expressing how it made me feel, how I discovered its elements in real life. I love sharing art.

  16. Wow, this is really powerful, Resa! What a special find! I love the black and white and bird details; there’s something really authentic and magical about this art! The wolf image is really stunning, too. Your photography really creates suspense and draws out the special features of everything you capture! 🐺💜🌸

    1. Yes, I agree, “authentic and magical”!
      It makes me happy when you say that aboit my photography. It’s not just showing you all a pic of the art, but how it drew me in, the aspects that caught my eyes and more.

      Thank you so much, Ada! 🐺💜🌸xo

    1. Thank you, John!
      It was a bit cramped in the very narrow shop, and that &%*$#@ yellow bulb drove me nuts.
      Still, it wasn’t as difficult as some I try that are 3 stories up. OX

  22. Cool! There was an Italian writer (Vega) who wrote a collection of short stories titled La Lupa (The She Wolf) – very powerful stories especially the one titled La Lupa!

  23. Absolutely brilliant. What a find. I LOVE it.. of course wolves are my fav animals but this is so powerful the way it cuts down to the wolf. As my gaze went down I thought, is there actually going to be a wolf and there it was. Also a very interesting article Resa. that you linked to. Thank you for this. It’s epic xxxxx

    1. Lol… and there it was. WOLF I love it!
      Well, our culture is so different from the indigenous, and they’ve been so ripped off, I like to learn about them and support them.
      I’m happy you got to see this!
      xxxxxxxxx

      1. I knew you would be very supportive Resa. So I think it is great you do that and want to learn about them. But truly I was getting so excited scrolling down that pic , holding my breath. And then, it is so stunning my jaw nearly hit the deck. hat is the truth.

        1. Thank you, Shey!
          Yes, my jaw hit too when I saw the full image. At first I just saw the head and headdress.
          This has given me art ideas that I might be able to pull off.
          A bit busy over here, but I will get back over to your blog and check out comments! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

            1. Thanks!! Taking care of a sickie right now, so lots of extra work! All I can say is you will look amazing drawn in a cake gown! xxxxxxx

  24. “One of the guys that works here.” Akkk! Seriously, the artist deserves more respect from his coworkers than that. This is beautiful. The concept of the shapeshifter and the way the composition is laid out (if not the style) makes me think of Susan Seddon-Boulet’s art. ( https://www.turningpointgallery.com/index.asp ) I used to have several of her prints and loved them.
    Thanks for including the interesting details about the headdresses too.
    The wolf is often said to be “the teacher” and/or if it is one’s totem animal, that person is able to connect with divine wisdom and share it with others. It’s a powerful painting. I actually like the graduated yellow from the lamp. Thank you, Resa. This post is a gift. Hugs.

    1. Lol! I know , just some guy. The art is stunning!

      Thanks for the link, Teagan! Her art is sensational!
      I do know her work, but I never knew who.
      Yes, as much as the light from the bulb drove me nuts while I was shooting, I didn’t try to get rid of it in editing.

      Thank you for your considerate mail yesterday!
      I have to run shortly, and will answer later when I get home. All is well, for now.
      HUGS!

  25. What a stunning and deeply symbolic image — the way the feathers become birds feels like a living metaphor for memory, breath, and freedom. Seeing this reminded me of my years in Northern Manitoba (I traveled through La Ronge many years ago), where I first came to understand how profoundly place, community, and tradition shape identity. The headdress here feels less like adornment and more like a story — one that carries generations within it. Thank you for sharing this, Resa. It captures both strength and spirit — the quiet power of continuity.

    1. Wonderful observations, Rebecca!
      How cool that you’ve been to La Ronge. Most of us only know about our indigenous brothers and sisters from what we hear…the news… a few reports from the odd person who has been to a reservation. Winnipeg always had a large First Nations population, and now more than ever. Still, when I grew up there, we were isolated from each other.

      There is much work to be done, separated ground to be rediscovered, Indigenous women found, and grievances to be answered.

      Yes, the reality is a lot like the art – “spirit — the quiet power of continuity.”

  28. Hi Resa, another astounding artwork. And I agree with Teagan Riordain Geneviene, the artist needs way more recognition than being labelled “Other Guy”!
    I wonder if the artist has any native heritage themselves as this is spectacular – and I kinda like the extra light from the lightbulb it almost makes the wall look like a yellowed page of a book.

    1. I know! I couldn’t resist putting the artist credit as it was told to me. Crazy!
      I wonder the same as you about the artist ‘s heritage.

      Yes, the bulb drove me crazy while shooting, but I didn’t mind it when selecting pics.
      Thank you for visiting, Tyeth!

    1. Lol… poor artist. No respect. Well, I love this! What talent! What a mind!
      And THANK YOU for checking Spam. I can’t believe there was nothing there. I went into 2 other Spam folders that day. So, where’s the comment.
      This is not the first time my comment seemed to have vanished into thin air. Other people have mentioned the same has happened to them.
      Mysterious. Well, we are quite connected now! !🪶💨🐺🌖

      1. Ohhh Wait you were in Spam!😱😭 I’m really glad you said something twice, especially that you commented on Big Lebowski and it didn’t show up— That’s def the tell. Ok I just rescued your comment and another of my friend’s comments too!

        1. YAHOOOO!!!
          Effin Spam! I check mine every day. It blows me away who I find in there. Some of my longest standing blog pals, hundreds of comments between our blogs… then SUDDENLY – SPAMMED!

          Akismet should be ashamed of itself, except it’s not human.
          xo

  30. This is fascinating. I watched as her hair began to beak way in to black birds then the complete transition to wolf. An Artist with a wonderfully free imagination. It’s Indigineous pride month here . We have many tribes in Florida , the Miami River was in the process of having a building built on its banks when they discovered an Indian tribal ground there over a thousand years old. Thankfully the project was stopped and a beautiful circle was created instead to honor that spot.
    back to topic, I love this artists work and imagination. Just beautiful!

    xoxoxoxoxo

    1. Something about hair that works in many creative messages. As you know I love drawing it turning into stars, and antlers and whatnot. I should do another hair drawing.

      We had our Indigenous Pride month in June.
      It’s about time we admitted who was here first.

      Thank you for this beautiful comment dear Meece! xoxoxoxoxoxo

  31. What a beautiful mural, Resa!! Wow I almost didn’t see the wolf until you pointed it out, the woman’s face and her headdress are so gorgeous! There’s something so mystical and enchanting about this art, there has to be a story about her transforming into a wolf. In any case, you captured them so beautifully!Thanks for that article too, I didn’t know that headdresses are given as gifts. Heh, of course there’s an uproar if a woman is given one, but it’s ok to give a white man the same gift. It’s too bad that sexism still exists in so many different cultures.

    1. Yes…mystic and enchanting. I love it!
      Yeah… sexism hurts everyone.
      What are some men afraid of? Jealous of? Is there a needy “I want power” gene? Maybe!

      xoxoxoxoxo

      1. Ahah, some men definitely suffer from that ‘power hungry’ tendencies, fortunately my hubby isn’t one of them!

        This mural is truly stunning, love all the wonderful details!

    1. I love this art. It has given me an idea to draw my models in cake gowns… in a transcending style.
      Indigenous communities are socially changing with the times, but I think when it comes to nature, they are way ahead.
      Hugs!!

    1. Ahh, thank you Lauren! This is a wonderful piece of art, and has given me some ideas for drawing.
      Yes, peaceful. (Dark and rainy). Sometimes a rainy day is just what I need.

      Hope your day is peaceful too, and cheers to a lovely week ahead!
      💙xo☔️xo💙

  36. The work is truly remarkable, a veritable masterpiece. The painting of the woman with the wolf is like a dream!

    It appears that the headdress holds significant symbolic importance within the context of ancient history. Recalling Homer’s detailed descriptions of the warriors’ helmets in his epics, such as those featured in the Trojan War, further illuminates this point.

    Thank you, dear friend.

    ❤️❤️🌹🌹

  39. Oh my god…my jaw literally dropped when I finally saw the ‘wolf’. Not only is it brilliantly done, it’s the climax of a wonderful, visual story. And the artist was ‘just one of the guys’? Doh…

    1. I know Meeka… just one of the guys!?
      Well, “the guy” painted a beautiful piece.
      It’s given me a drawing idea for the future.
      I’m so happy I was allowed to take pics!

  41. That was amazing. I wonder who’ll give the guy at the office a real job. Painting. This has to be one the best pieces you’ve shared with us, Resa.

    All well with you, I hope?

      1. Likewise. Last Thursday, at a funeral, I saw a friend of a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. When I asked him how he was, he said: “I’m all right. The world’s a mess. Everywhere. I just try not to try and understand any more…” He has a point…😉

        1. Rain here too!
          Yeah, blah, and soon I will make a hot drink and sew or draw.
          I made a fun post for Halloween, that’s scheduled for the 30th. And sadly, I have been working on a colab post I was doing with a blog pal who suddenly passed away.

          I am finishing it as a tribute.
          Point is; it might be blah, but staying creatively busy keeps me out of trouble! xxxxxxx

  43. Resa, what a wonderful post — and the artwork is absolutely mesmerizing! Every time I visit your blog, I feel like I’m stepping into a world I might never have discovered on my own. Thank you for opening my eyes to such beauty and creativity. You truly have a gift for inspiring others. xo 💕🎨

    1. This work of art is mesmerizing, and has given me ideas for my own drawings.

      The whole street art world is another place. I love it here. I wander alleys and traverse the city.
      I’m alone, a lone wolf on my travels. I gather my prizes, and the best is that I have a place and people to share them with.
      💎
      Lone wolf…. like a writer when they write.
      xoxo💙🌟❦

        1. I’m a Canadian. Most of the art I’ve collected is from Toronto, where I live. Some from Winnipeg where I have some family.

          I have collected a nice chunk from all over the world, from guest contributors.
          Thank you for asking Carolyn!

          I would LOVE to see the art from your friends! I would do a post! I always credit the artists.

          Happy Halloween!
           ❦❦😱🦇🖤🎃❦❦

          1. That sounds wonderful, Resa! You’ve built such a beautiful, international collection — a true reflection of the creative spirit you nurture. I’ll see if I have any photos of my friends art.
            Wishing you a wonderfully inspired Halloween! 🎃💕💕

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