The Clarkston Cultural Arts Council has initiated its spread of wolves around Clarkston and Independence Township. In an effort to promote and encourage local art, CCAC has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Network to create the Howling Wolves project, which will premiere Oct. 24. For the project, over a dozen life-sized, wooden wolf cutouts have been painted by local artists and sponsored by local businesses.
Wolves, being the mascot for Clarkston Community schools, were a natural choice for the project’s theme. Local businesses and restaurants, including Union Joints and Parker’s Hilltop Brewery, will feature the distinctly crafted wolves. The businesses are free to spotlight the art pieces for a couple weeks, or keep them as a permanent installation.
“CCAC has seen such rapid growth since our inception and I think, in part, it is because our community is so hungry for art,” CCAC board member Aimee Baker said.  ”Residents in Clarkston aren’t used to seeing art in the downtown area—no sculptures in the park, no original paintings in the businesses and no murals.
Our hope is that the wolves will delight and surprise those who see them and inspire a conversation about the benefits that art can bring to our lives, all while supporting the local artists who designed them.”
Howling Wolves will be CCAC’s third art exhibit created for the greater Clarkston area, following the DIA Inside Out and Main Street Windows projects. The wolf showcases will double as an engaging pursuit for the public, as Scavenger Hunt maps will be available on CCAC’s website, clarkstonarts.org, before the premiere. Photos of each wolf art piece are also available on the website.
About CCAC
The Clarkston Cultural Arts Council (CCAC) is a not-for-profit (pending June 2016) organization incorporated in the State of Michigan.  The organization was formed to promote and increase awareness and involvement in the arts for Clarkston, Michigan and surrounding areas.  The CCAC is a non-discriminatory group, accessible to all, designed to nurture art in all its aspects.  It is our mission to support area artists and enrich the Clarkston community by providing a broad range of creative and collaborative experiences through quality arts education, presentation and exhibition in the visual arts, literature, film, theatres and dance.
– Rachel Long