FRESNO BEE REVIEW.....ART SCENE

shaman (women are shamans too)
From an Article in the Fresno Bee by Mr. Donald Munro, Fresno Bee Art Critic/Reviewer:
"At Gallery 25, I was drawn to the work of Valerie Runningwolf, an artist with a magnetic vision whose work -- consisting of watercolors, spirit masks, free-standing gourds and mixed-media pieces -- has a vibrant, upbeat sensibility.
Years ago I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, and wrote a fair amount about native artists, many of whom were particularly known for their spirit masks. It's fascinating to see the similarities and differences in Runningwolf's works. The Alaska native spirit masks, which often feature carved walrus ivory, tend to have a serious, even glowering, disposition. But Runningwolf's masks, made from gourds, have a smoother feel: gentler, more plaintive, a protective air, with frazzled hair and big, gaping expressions.
Runningwolf's watercolors are also particularly strong, whether they be studies in the gradation of color or a series of amoeba-like, seaworthy blobs that seem to pulsate in a watery clime. Some of her mixed-media pieces are striking, including the compelling "Shaman," pictured on this page, which depicts a stumpy figure perched in an impossibly wide stance, your eye drawn toward a three-dimensional face marked by a round-eyed expression. With the bright colors and patterns, there's a feeling of pageantry to the work, as if we're looking at a costumed character conducting a ritual ceremony."