Many tribal and shamanic cultures look to the wisdom of Spirit Animals for guidance in difficult times, hence came my Animal Guides series. The title of each guide expresses the knowledge or protection they can offer. I have incorporated both wild and domestic animals, some with a quirky twist. Many of us have pets at home and rely on their love, companionship, and hidden inner wisdom. The painting starts with photo-montaging my own photographs. Each painting can have up to thirty different images seamlessly flowing into one another. Multiple layers of encaustic medium are fused onto the surface and oil paints applied once cooled. Merging my photographs with wax and repeated handling creates a magical three-dimensional quality into ethereal worlds.