This painting was intended to set the grey deer apart from the background surroundings. Many deer in the southern region of the United States have grey coats, unlike the more tan and brown coats found in other parts of the States. This young doe seems to float cautiously out of the more colorful woods, almost as if apparition-like. All hunters can testify to the sudden apparition of the silent creatures as if they literally arose out of the mulch-laden ground. Louis Saia, a friend from Houma, Louisiana, who tells of an apparition of Mary, the Mother of God, to him on his property beneath a sea of live oaks near where the artist has hunted deer, describes the apparition as if the appearance were actually life-like and had mass; however, when Louis approached Mary, he realized that if he had reached out to touch her, his hand would have passed right thru. Mary simply told Louis to “Just have faith in my son, Jesus”
 
“Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.”
Matthew 17:3