If there were a Venn diagram representing the art of Alphose Mucha, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bernie Wrightson, and Pushead, at the nexus of these overlapping circles would be the work of one of my favorite artists, Michelle Harvey, commonly known as WolfSkullJack. Her wild work often centers around -naturally – skulls and wolves, life and death, but somehow also lovingly incorporates the mysteries of the dark and the divine feminine. It truly is amazing and timeless work, and has been popularized recently by none other than Metallica, who has used some of her illustrations on their merch and tour posters.
Michelle lives and creates her art in rural England, and was gracious enough to take the time to answer some questions for me.
Mojo: Hi Michelle! Have you always drawn or when did you start drawing?
WSJ: I’ve been drawing since I was very young and ended up going to university to study and gain a degree in illustration. However, after I graduated I fell into call centre work and I did that for about 6 years before going full time with art.
What is your medium of choice and how has that changed over time?
I love working traditionally with ink pens but I’ve the past year have switched to digital art which I’m still getting to grips with. I work mostly on the iPad Pro, which is so convenient and easier when dealing with clients. I would love to master both mediums as well as colour work.
I know you’re a lover of animals. What drew you to wolves in particular as a theme?
I cannot fully explain my pull to wolves, it’s been with me since I was very little and is certainly a very integral and important part of my identity. As a kid I was convinced I was born in the wrong body and I spent a lot of my days waiting for my wolf family to come and find me. Spoiler — they never did!
However, about two years ago I found a wolf rescue charity called Wolf Watch UK where I got to meet wolves face to face and I absolutely fell in love with the place.
It sounds crazy, but a wolf feels like home to me. I cannot explain it any other way.
I’m now a volunteer and although I’m not on site much at all, I handle the online admin and go visit whenever I can.
Very cool! Your moniker WolfSkullJack seems somewhat self-explanatory, but can you tell us a little bit about how you came up with that name?
WolfSkullJack was a character in a short story I had in 2008 for my end of year project at Uni! It was about a Wolf-Skulled man who lived a mundane life working in a dead end office job that he hated. He lived in a world where Death had gone missing and the earth had became overrun with the undead just trying to get by. Nothing dramatic, just overpopulation and feeling dead inside and outside. I don’t think it was ever finished but I got a good grade though!
Wow, I would never have guessed anything like that! Now, I read that you live in the Cotswolds. Can you tell us a little about the area and how it informs your work?
I ended up settling in the Cotswolds because this is where I graduated! I like it here, the countryside is beautiful and life is easy enough. If I’m honest with myself, I really don’t take advantage of the natural beauty nearly as much as I should! I’m very much a homebody.
I absolutely love your art and was so excited to see that you caught the attention of one of my favorite bands, Metallica, who you recently did a series of illustrations for. How did that come about?
Thank you, they’re one of my favourite bands too!! The whole story of how I got the job is a weird one, but it started off with me being recommended to a merch company by another artist who couldn’t take the job. I was introduced, I got the job, but then the entire poster project was dropped. I took the sketches that I did to another merch company who I had seen work with the band previously and I was then taken onboard to design tees. Metallica’s manager liked the sketches so much he wanted posters for the S&M2 tour as well as tees, which is an absolute dream come true! I flew out to San Francisco, met Metallica’s manager, saw the concert, and then a few months later was contacted directly from Metallica HQ to design their All Within My Hands charity event! I’m still on cloud 9, it’s really weird working for a band who I idolized so much as a teenager!
That’s an incredible story! Tell me a little bit about the breadth of your work. I know you sell prints and also have bound books of your art for sale. Do you illustrate other books as well? Do you have a wish for your work?
I have self-published several of my own art books, which have all sold out and won’t be reprinted, but I hope to release a tarot deck and art book at some point this year, if I have time! I also have sold a LOT of artwork to the Anchorage Brewing Company and have had at least 12 cans of beer with my art on which is pretty neat.
I’m not sure what my work in future, I just want to keep drawing weird shit that I enjoy!
Please do!. Are there any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?
Yes but I can’t tell anyone yet!! Everything should be revealed in the next 12 months or so!
Thanks so much for taking the time! I can’t wait to see what’s next for you!
Find WolfSkullJack online here!
Instagram: @wolfskulljack_art
Shop and Website: https://wolfskulljack.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wolfskulljack
