Fox Maiden, by Susan Seddon Boulet
I don’t own this painting, or even a good print of it, though I wish I did. I’ve long admired this work by the late California artist Susan Seddon Boulet.
The subject is a kitsune, a shape-shifting fox spirit. In Japanese folklore, foxes were sometimes tricksters, sometimes messengers of the crop-god, Inari, and sometimes shrine-guardians. Some fox spirits could assume human form, like the selkies, or seal-spirits, of Celtic folklore. As a kitsune grew in power, it also grew more tails, perhaps as many as nine.
I love the kitsune’s rich robe in this painting, and her delicate paw, as well as the suggestion of a full moon behind her. When wearing her woman’s mask, she’d arrange the robe to conceal her vulpine tails.
This and other animal-spirit paintings appear in Shaman: The Paintings of Susan Seddon Boulet, a Pomegranate Artbook.
Originals and prints of Boulet’s work (though I’ve not found this one so far) are sold through www.turningpointgallery.com.
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I came across this site while looking for art works of Susan Seddon Boulet. Her work inspires me as an artisit and I am in great need of that right now. I love her use of textures and the depth of her compositions in which she ses mulitple images in a montage effect. Her art of animals and spirits are my favorites. I am so happy I stumbled in my search and landed here. (I hit the wrong search result) Who are you? I love this sight! Your writing is wonderful. You rphoto graphs are fantastic. The way you share your passion for horses, love of nature esp. flowers and taste in art is delightful and refreshing. Thank you for this oasis. Be happy.
Thank you for your kind words. Oasis is exactly the concept I was looking for. I
have admired Boulet’s work for years. There is a little about me on the Foxlily at Woodford Landing page on this site. Serendipity ıs wonderful! More to come about Mongolia and other topics. Good luck with your art.