Portfolio > Still Lifes

In 1985 while I was walking from my now wife's apartment to my house - through the woods because it would be more fun than along a busy street with no sidewalk - I found a complete deer skeleton. It wasn't really practical to pick up all of it, so I just took the skull because it was really cool.

The skull now sits on a shelf on our deck next to an empty planter where wrens have built a nest. One day I noticed one of the wrens perching on the antler and thought, "What a great idea for a painting." I moved the skull into the yard for a more natural look.

I completed everything except the wren and was worried I'd mess up the rest of the painting when I added the wren, so I drew it on a separate piece of paper first.