Oh Deer!

Oh Deer! marks the beginning—not just of a series, but of my return to painting after more than 20 years away.

I used to work with oils, mostly recreating old masters' works. I didn’t have a personal style then—just technique, tradition, and a longing for something more. Then one day, while browsing online, I came across some digital anthropomorphic art. Animals dressed as humans. Something about it clicked instantly.

I took that inspiration and made it my own—choosing acrylics this time for their boldness and fast energy. I wanted the colors to pop, to feel vibrant and unapologetic. I imagined a fashionable deer couple, chic and slightly ironic, like they belonged to a woodland version of Vanity Fair.

This piece was where I experimented with fur and silk textures, where I relearned the brush with new freedom.

But more than anything, Oh Deer! gave me confidence. It reminded me that I didn’t need to paint like someone else—I could create a world that was fully mine. Every painting that came after exists because this one proved I could begin again.