Artist: Melinda Fritz-Payne

Gypsy is a wandering guardian of joy who appears when the heart has lost its way. Her eyes tell her story before she even speaks—one a serene blue, calm and steady as still waters, the other a fiery yellow, alive with mischief, passion, and untamed freedom. Together, they reflect the balance between peace and wildness that she carries within. Her fur glows like the colors of a sunrise, warm and radiant. Across her body bloom wild flowers , symbols of both beauty and resilience, their vines weaving around portraits of the friends she has encountered on her journey. Each portrait is a memory, of connection to another soul she carries forward. She also has a sunrise and a sunset—reminders that every ending holds a beginning, and every beginning carries echoes of what came before. Gypsy does not stay in one place for long; she arrives softly, often when you need her most, guiding you back to yourself. She is laughter after sorrow, light after darkness, and the gentle, playful force that helps you remember how to feel joy again.

Artist Bio: Melinda Fritz-Payne

I am a painter best known locally for creating work in the presence of live music—setting up among the crowd and painting bands as they perform. My process is rooted in immediacy: I only paint during the show, capturing a singular, unrepeatable moment in time. Each piece becomes a visual record of energy, movement, and emotion as it unfolds.

My work centers on the excitement and joy found in shared experiences—those fleeting moments when a song makes you want to dance, or when musicians are fully immersed in the act of playing. I’m inspired by the rhythm of a drumbeat, the pulse of a crowd, the electricity between performer and audience.

Color plays a central role in this translation. I gravitate toward bright, expressive palettes that reflect the vibrancy of live music and the emotional intensity of the moment. Through color and gesture, I aim to create paintings that feel as alive as the experiences they represent.

I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts from East Tennessee State University, including study abroad experiences that broadened my perspective and practice. I was also honored to

serve as a resident artist at the William King Museum of Art. These experiences have helped shape both my technical approach and my commitment to creating work that connects people through shared emotion.

This is my fourth Wolf project, and it remains one of my favorite opportunities to create and give back to the community.

Artist: Kristy Moeller Ottinger

Artist Bio:

Kristy Moeller Ottinger was born in Tipton, Indiana. She is the older of two girls born to Herbert and Lucy Moeller, who raised their children to be resourceful and—it turns out—creative. If they wanted something, they were encouraged to make it themselves. Making was a part of life in the Moeller household, where Herbert was a cabinetmaker and Lucy a dressmaker.

At the tender age of nine, Ottinger began learning the sewing skills that would lead to her eventual focus on fiber art. A lifelong learner, Ottinger earned degrees in Bible, Education, and an MFA in art. She taught both elementary and college art until 2016, when she left teaching to pursue art quilting full-time.

Best known for her narrative art quilts, Ottinger embellishes her work relentlessly, using found objects, mixed media, embroidery, paint, and writing. As she moved through her formal art education, Ottinger dabbled in other media, eventually earning an MFA in painting. A 1994 scholarship to Burren College of Art in Ireland introduced her to an Irish quilter who provided bits of silk for her initial art quilt. Her first love reawakened; Ottinger returned to fiber art. Now, her exquisitely detailed narrative quilts show her artful, meticulous sewing skill, as well as demonstrating her talent for incorporating any mixed media that enhances the stories told by her pieces.

Artist: Angelina Reed

My name is Angelina, one of my favorite hobbies is to paint. About four years ago my family and I went on vacation to the beach. Which was the first time that I have ever been to the beach. Ever since then most of my paintings involves the beach theme. Which inspired me to paint the wolf with the beach theme as well. I hope everyone enjoys “The Sea Wolf” statue.

Artist: Kevin Scott Burrill

"My Abingdon Wolf project design, "The Apex," is intended to show the pivotal role that wolves play in our natural ecosystem as an apex predator. Time and observational studies have shown that the partial or complete removal of an apex predator from an ecosystem can have significant effects on everything downstream in that food chain. And the reinstating of that apex predator can restore much-needed balance. To demonstrate this system of interdependence, rising up each leg of my wolf statue is a food chain or hierarchy spanning from grass all the way up through critters of increasing size to culminate at the gray wolf. These wolves once roamed the higher elevation terrain of the southern Appalachian region that we call home. It's a complex design to show that we live in very complex natural systems, and we need to manage these systems well for both their success, and our own."

Artist Bio: Kevin Scott Burrill

"Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Kevin Scott Burrill was raised to love the great outdoors that surrounded his family home. He likes to say, "I've never met a forest that felt like a stranger." Over time, his fascination with nature and wildlife met up with a growing proficiency in art, spurred on by encouraging art teachers and family members. He moved to Abingdon, Virginia in 2013, relieved to discover that this region held all of the same rugged, natural beauty that he was used to back in rural Canada. Kevin got more serious about his painting hobby in 2018, delving into research and practice. When an opportunity opened up for a public studio space at The Arts Depot of Abingdon, Virginia in 2023, Kevin stepped out in faith and launched his professional wildlife art career. Being new to the professional art world, Kevin is grateful to have put down roots in a town that has the perfect combination of a growing, vibrant arts community, and a backyard mountain wilderness to explore for inspiration."

Artist : Rowan Estep

My name is Rowin and I am 11 years old. I came up with my wolf design while looking at the paint colors, and when I saw lavender, gold, blue, and yellow, I knew they were the ones. I added a paint roller because I thought it would be fun if it looked like the wolf was actually being painted. I love paint splatter because it makes everything more creative and exciting. I also included a Bible verse because I am a Christian and I love Jesus.

I get inspired by lots of different artists and art styles. I like a little bit of everything!

I love living in Abingdon because it’s a small town with cute little shops and a friendly feel. I also love the Appalachian Mountains because they are beautiful and make this place feel special

Artist: Lola Dew

Lola Dew is a 10 year old artist from Abingdon, Virginia. In addition to painting, she enjoys acting and baking. For her wolf pup design Lola was inspired by a video of sea turtles swimming in the ocean. She loved all the colors that surrounded them and the beautiful patterns on their shells. The jellyfish are her favorite parts of her design.

Artist: Lisa May

My wolf Nocturne Friends came about because after losing my livestock guard dog and loyal companion, Amelia, ALL the night time critters came out and had a party. To our dismay, mainly duck and chicken were on the menu!

Artist Bio: Lisa May

Lisa May is a shepherdess, who along with her husband also raises chickens and ducks working hard to outsmart the nocturnal critters who prey on them!

Artist: Aria Asbury

Taroko is, first and foremost, a memory: imagined and named in memorial of a magnificent whale shark that shared his world with other creatures whose likenesses are now rendered onto our lupine friend. Taroko embodies nostalgia, as there is a kind of magic when first beholding the wonders of the ocean. Some may be so fortunate as to experience firsthand in the open world, while for others they gasp behind thick glass of an aquarium. The eponym for which our Taroko was named was first beheld by the artist on her seventeenth birthday: her favorite animal, loved indirectly through pictures and plushies, was now reality before her eyes.

Whale sharks have always held this quiet majesty: gentle giants. Taroko shares more than a moniker with the large fish: he brings an easy tranquility with his existence. From his coat rippling with painted and physical light, his occupants sharing his space within its own ecosystem, to the rough corals at his feet as if protecting his journey with every step, Taroko may both ground and set free a soul. His eyes exhibit a depth without pretention to those who gaze upon him. It is the artist’s intent that her own feelings of awe and adoration from that favorite birthday be mirrored by those who gaze at this painterly tribute.

Artist Bio:

Aria Asbury has never learned how to swim well, her curiosity and desire to explore the depths of nature, namely different marine life, in her work continues to further her conquest for capturing childlike wonder in her latest pieces. As of late, she has also experimented with the concept of self-reflection in a calm, therapeutic setting, which is a state of mind she hopes to achieve.

Aria graduated with a bachelor’s degree in arts at East Tennessee State University, where her fascination with the human figure, combined with the more whimsical motifs in life commonly found in the water, began to shape her art’s direction. She later pursued a Professional Studies master’s in education degree at Emory & Henry college to direct her talents in the classroom. A current art instructor for Bristol Virginia Public Schools at the elementary level, she aspires to further integrate her passion into young minds as they learn to play and explore different parts of their brains. Her art has received recognition in the Abingdon and Johnson City communities in several group exhibitions, and this is her second wolf for the Abingdon Wolf Project. Some of her influences include Agnes Cecile, Claude Monet, and all whale sharks everywhere.

Artist: O. Clementine Gaal

"O. Clementine Gaal is a 24 year-old artist and designer from Abingdon, Virginia. She specializes in stamp-carving, hand printing, painting, and is a repeat participant in the Abingdon Plein Air Festival for the past 3 years. Clementine is primarily inspired by the native fauna and flora around Abingdon in the Appalachian mountains, and therefore every plant and animal depicted on this wolf is something one could see while walking through the town of Abingdon. The pattern style is inspired by Dutch Delft fine china and decorative teapots, sentimental items that many families in Appalachia held onto as treasured heirlooms as they immigrated to America."

Artist : Lindsey Holderfield

I have always been drawn to bold color, texture and tactile art forms. For me, mixed media painting and encaustic work nurture an intuitive creative process. I tend to begin with a color or an image that compels me and then continue adding, layering, covering/uncovering and painting until the piece is finished (a moment that often presents itself with surprising clarity). In this way, all my work reflects the moment it is created; everything is a self-portrait of sorts. I am thrilled to be part of the Abingdon wolf project for the third time. My inspiration for this design was counterbalance. The notion that in times of darkness, pain, and generally heavy circumstances, we all need little doses of brightness and joy wherever we might find them.

Artist Bio: Lindsey Holderfield

Lindsey Holderfield is a mixed media and encaustic artist with an academic background in geography and over 25 years of work in community development, organizational management, and education. Originally from Alabama, she received her B.A. from Auburn University and M.S. from The University of Tennessee, before making Abingdon home in 2002. Holderfield’s paintings have shown in galleries and museum shows across the Southeast since 2009

Artist : Katelyn Wilson

My name is Katelyn Wilson. I am a 22-year-old artist, and I live in Abingdon with my mom and two younger brothers. I dearly love animals—especially my dog Misty—and I enjoy exploring and photographing God's creation. One of my favorite things about living here in Southwest Virginia is the crisp view of the night sky, especially in the wintertime. When I was designing my wolf, my goal was to capture the stillness and glow of this area's nighttime beauty. I've named her "Appalachian Skies," and I dedicate her to my mom—who has always gone stargazing with me. I hope that when you see my wolf, she reminds you that when the world feels dark, look up—there is beauty all around us.

Artist: Laura Bay Reynolds

My name is Laura Bays Reynolds, and l am a portrait artist. I usually work with children, so the wolf project gave me the chance to explore something new. My inspiration came from an old quilt my grandmother used to keep us warm around campfires at night. It was pieced together from bits of worn clothing - full of unusual shapes, patterns, and bright colors. The wolf reminded me of those childhood nights, the stories we shared, and the quiet sounds of the woods-sometimes carrying the distant, haunting call of a wolf.

Artist: Hana Eichin

Eichin’s artistic foundation was shaped early by a deep love of making—encouraged by her mother and reinforced through hands-on school projects where she discovered both her talent and her voice. Whether building a scale model of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre or experimenting with new materials, she found that art not only brought joy to others but gave her a sense of identity and connection that traditional academics did not.

Her journey into theatre began unexpectedly in high school, where she found belonging among fellow creatives and developed a passion for scenic design. The field offered a dynamic blend of problem-solving, storytelling, and craftsmanship—no two productions alike. While she thrived behind the scenes, she longed for a more direct connection with the people experiencing her work.

That desire led her to create Spot of Color, which began as a retail art supply store and creative hub. Through that venture, Eichin built a space where creativity was accessible and participatory—offering supplies, classes, and hands-on experiences for artists of all levels. While the retail portion of Spot of Color has since closed, its impact continues to shape her work. She remains deeply engaged in teaching art classes, leading workshops, creating murals and window paintings, and supporting others in bringing their creative ideas to life.

Driven by a belief in the broader value of arts education, Eichin continues to expand her programming with a focus on accessibility—especially for youth. She champions the idea that artistic practice builds far more than technical skill, fostering problem-solving, empathy, self-expression, and confidence.

At the core of her philosophy are three principles: learning to communicate with confidence, embracing authenticity, and knowing when to ask for help. These values, paired with the unwavering support of her parents, have shaped a career defined not by a single path, but by a willingness to adapt, evolve, and create meaningful connections through art.

For Eichin, success isn’t measured by a storefront, but by the creative spark she helps ignite in others—and the community that continues to grow around it.

Artist: Eric Drummond Smith

My wolf is an homage to one of my favorite sculptures, which also just happens to be a wolf – the “Lupa Capitolina” or “Capitoline Wolf.” There is some debate over when the statue was originally made, one the one hand the majority of scholars still attribute it its origin as ancient Etruscan, sometime around the 5th Century (and attested in the writings of Cicero); on the other, a significant minority argue it was originally cast in the 11th or 12th Century CE and its earlier attribution is much in error.

What matters to me, however, is how beautiful she is. When I look at her I can almost hear her panting, and the simple beauty of her lines and abstraction echo the ancient, pre-classical Mediterranean and Mesopotamian compositions I have always found so moving, but in a way that is different than most. The Lupa is too abstract to be regarded as realistic, but the weight of her motherhood feels real; she is too realistic to be merely decorative or iconographic as well (I can imagine her panting heavily as she watches for dangers to her human cubs, though in my mind I don’t imagine the Renaissance additions, but two long lost, far more abstract versions of Romulus and Remus). The Lupa is simply its own, wonderful thing – like the marsh scene paintings from ancient Egyptian tombs, the ones where artists fused the strict iconography with their own observations in short, sharp sparks of rebellion (see the tombs of Menna and Nebamun – both painted around the 14th Century BCE – for examples).

All that said, my wolf is a love story to the Lupa – meant to evoke bronze and lines and movement-despite-stillness. I’m sure there are other influences as well – Keith Haring and Chinese calligraphy both come to mind – but this piece is really, ultimately, about the Lupa.

Because I love her.

Artist Bio:

Eric Drummond Smith

Biography Eric Drummond Smith is an associate professor of political science at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, specializing in international and comparative politics and political theory. He is also a working artist working in the George Chavatel Studio of the William King

Museum of Art’s Art Lab. Born and raised in Bluefield, West Virginia, he first learned to make art by copying and reinterpreting images from his family’s encyclopedias and Audubon books, old Disney comics, black and white monster movies, and piles of dinosaur books checked out from the local library. In college he would become enamored with art history and further complicate his mess of a style. His current research is on extracting theories on regime legitimacy and regime change from the principle works of early Chinese philosophy (Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties) and on the problem of defining "great powers."

BA / 1998 / Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA – Majors in political science, art, and geography with minor equivalents in international and comparative politics

MA / 2000 / The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA – East Asian studies with a concentration in Chinese studies

PhD / 2007 / The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN – Political Science with an emphasis on international and comparative politics and secondary focus on political philosophy and theory