lrsBakerJoe-DeerChase Joe Baker

The composition centers on a stag in mid-leap, its form dominating the canvas with a palpable sense of urgency and dynamism. The animals posture suggests flight; it is caught at the apex of its jump, limbs extended, tail flared, conveying an immediate impression of panicked movement. Its head is turned sharply to the left, eyes wide, reinforcing the feeling that it is reacting to a perceived threat.
The surrounding environment is rendered in a highly stylized and abstracted manner. The trees are reduced to vertical planes of color – blues, oranges, pinks, and browns – creating a dense, almost claustrophobic forest setting. These forms lack naturalistic detail; instead, they function as blocks of color that contribute to the overall emotional intensity. Light plays an unusual role here. It seems to emanate from behind the stag, bathing it in a warm glow while leaving much of the foreground shrouded in shadow. This creates a dramatic contrast and further emphasizes the animal’s isolation within its environment.
The palette is striking – predominantly warm tones punctuated by cool blues. The use of pink on the stags body is particularly noteworthy; it deviates from naturalistic representation, introducing an element of surrealism or heightened emotion. The thick application of paint, characteristic of impasto technique, adds texture and physicality to the scene, enhancing the sense of movement and immediacy.
Subtextually, the painting appears to explore themes of vulnerability, survival, and the primal relationship between predator and prey. The stag’s frantic escape suggests a disruption of natural order, perhaps hinting at human encroachment or some other unseen danger. The abstracted landscape could be interpreted as representing not just a physical space but also an internal psychological state – a feeling of being trapped or pursued. The unusual color choices contribute to this sense of unease and emotional complexity, moving beyond a simple depiction of wildlife to suggest deeper anxieties about existence and the fragility of life.