Wolf You Feed, 90cm silk, gunmetal
Sabina Savage’s Wild Americana collection looks to the secret symbolism of nature, as seen through the sketchbook of a traveling naturalist. This collection is an informal sequel to her previous collection, The Naturalist’s Handbook. True to form, Savage’s imagination is the catapult for a rich storytelling process. Her fictional naturalist returns, this time making his way across America where he is influenced by the people that take him in: The Lakota people, Fraternal societies, the Cherokee people and the sailors of Nantucket. This collection reflects an intersection of the science of naturalism and the symbols and stories of those mentioned above. Spirituality, science and nature come together from their own corner to bring us to common ground that Savage hopes we will agree upon.
“My collection recruits these creatures as powerful symbols, standing for faith in nature, hopeful resilience, and issuing a plea for kinship and charity in preserving our natural world.” - Sabina Savage
Measuring 90cm sq. (appr. 35" sq), 100% silk with rolled edges, dry clean only.
Every Sabina Savage design is hand illustrated, telling the story of the collection through the composition and details. The scarves are drawn in full, and the four corners of each scarf hold individual elements, ensuring the wearer will display a different feature however the scarf is folded. Each illustration takes around six weeks to complete.
The Wolf You Feed
1st March 1872: ‘The cold stillness of the air prickles my skin like a cactus, and I have a sensation of being watched, an observed specimen in the half-light. Now, a pair of glowing eyes shine and glint in the shadows, and the grey wolf looms suspiciously, assessing my every breath. The chipmunk at his feet is blissfully oblivious to the imminent peril of his situation, for he who never tests his shackles is unaware that he is chained. Which wolf will prosper? The Wolf you feed.” - A.S.
Drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources, Savage wants to highlight the near-extinction of the gray wolf in the US due to a program fueled by human prejudice and fear. The title references an ancient Cherokee legend - that every one has two wolves fighting inside of them. One is angry, greedy and resentful while the other is kind, peaceful and harmonious. Which wolf will win? The one you feed. The date noted on the design is 1872, referencing the creation of Yellowstone National Park. Inspiration from folk art and an amalgam of cacti species run throughout the design and there are references to symbols from fraternal societies including the Eye of Providence, the Golden Fleece and the pillars of strength. Hand-painted parcheesi boards reference simpler times from the 19th century, while the naïve chipmunk references a second, pertinent legend.
