Oaxaca Bark Style Painting - Lauren

I finished my Oaxaca bark style painting from the Heard Museum Navajo rug weaving inspiration. I focused on only two deer in my rendition: an erect orange stag with purple antlers guarding a violet doe nesting in the lush grass. I placed the stag guarding the doe because that is the male’s job. It was difficult creating the stag because I had to show the hip bones and where his body connects. The background I chose for the painting was a tan colored brown for a mountain and a pale blue sky. I wanted a soft and authentic background, so it would not be the focus of the painting; I wanted the deer to be the focus of the painting. The mountain shows that they are in their natural setting; safe from human contact but not safe from natural predators. The tree in this painting represents shelter and permanence. The cobalt tree arches over my two deer to give them the feeling of being home and protected from the elements. I resisted painting leaves on the tree because I wanted to reduce the amount of detail in my painting and just show the simplicity of nature. Even though I struggled with making natural looking animals, I enjoyed the process and painting, and I am pleased with the outcome.