Oh Deer

So basically this painting contains a lot of weird stories. I drew about 5 pages of crazy sketch ideas before coming back to the deer again. I feel connected to it in a strange way; symbolically they represent home and family to me. This stuffed deer is a mask, and together they serve as a moment of vulnerability. I am not anti-hunting, although it may come off that way. The idea actually stemmed from my dad bringing home about 8 animal trophies from the first house I grew up in. It was the strangest thing to see and feel again, as I remember playing with them when I was little. There is something much more to be said about the relationship of this creature to a human being.