by Aaron Burleson
acrylic on canvas
20×40 inches
“The Notdeer is a creature born out of online storytelling, on forums like TikTok and Creepypasta, and falsely attributed to native folklore. Taking inspiration from stories like that of the skinwalker, it is a creature that appears at first as a deer, but has unnatural qualities like deformed limbs or upright walking, depending on the storyteller. The Notdeer is a phenomena completely detached from broader history or unified understanding, yet it became a staple of contemporary Appalachian horror. A previous coworker of mine claimed to have seen it during a roadtrip. This basically nonexistent relationship to reality felt like furtile ground for a painting. Here, I obscure the creature with twisting layers of trees and foliage, further abstracted by a flash of light from an unknown source.” - Aaron Burleson
by Aaron Burleson
acrylic on canvas
20×40 inches
“The Notdeer is a creature born out of online storytelling, on forums like TikTok and Creepypasta, and falsely attributed to native folklore. Taking inspiration from stories like that of the skinwalker, it is a creature that appears at first as a deer, but has unnatural qualities like deformed limbs or upright walking, depending on the storyteller. The Notdeer is a phenomena completely detached from broader history or unified understanding, yet it became a staple of contemporary Appalachian horror. A previous coworker of mine claimed to have seen it during a roadtrip. This basically nonexistent relationship to reality felt like furtile ground for a painting. Here, I obscure the creature with twisting layers of trees and foliage, further abstracted by a flash of light from an unknown source.” - Aaron Burleson