The Thief
pen ink drawing on brown paper
2026
a jumping dear, fence and corn stalk are arranged in a circle. In the middle of it all is a decorative plate with scalloped edges, six sets of eyes circling the rim, and a bare [American Black] cherry tree in the center.
This drawing was inspired by my time volunteering on a farm where the owner often lamented about the many crops lost to deer appetites. I first thought of illustrating a deer jumping a fence, and the idea evolved into this much more interpretive design; the crop, the animal and the fence all locked in a cycle. I was trying to decide what to decorate the plate with and decided on our watching, deer-condemning eyes, as well as one of the local cherry trees. In the process of developing this design, we all had a moment at the dinner table where we could actively see a deer sniffing around the garden beds from the kitchen window. It really affirmed my creative vision for me. The plate is highly decorated, yet void of actual food. The deer are as gracious as they are well-fed.