Whitetail
Deer are among the very first animals to have been represented in early human art. They can be found in the earliest cave paintings and carvings ever discovered. Our relationship with deer is that of hunter and hunted, but it’s also more complex than that. Deer can also represent the soul, a spirit of mystery, and are often symbolic of shape-shifting deities. They play a sacred role in Indian, Egyptian, Greek, Huichol (Mexican), Hindu, Celtic, Buddhist, and Islamic cultures. In Japanese Shinto tradition, deer are kept at shrines as sacred messengers to the gods.
Did You Know?
- Whitetail deer are the smallest members of the North American deer family yet still weigh anywhere from 110-300 pounds.
- These deer are very skittish and shy.
- Whitetail deer waive their tails characteristically from side to side when they are startled.
- They are very fast and can bound at speeds up to 30 miles per hour.
- Whitetail deer have superb eyesight and hearing and are also very good swimmers.
- Only the male whitetail deer grow antlers and they shed them every year.
About the artist
. Here is a clue. You can spot Guelich’s work by looking out for the unique way he creates the texture of an animal’s hair. The plinth for this artwork is in the shape of a tree stump and was created by artists Connie Brenner and Wendy Carter. They worked hard to create a base that blended with the environment of the riverbank and the sculpture.
More sculptures
Explore more animal sculptures along the river trail. Each piece brings a different story, artist, and perspective to the Waco Sculpture Zoo.
