William Hawkins (1895-1990) painted graphic, large-scale images depicting animals, architecture, religious scenes and well-known events. Born and raised on a farm near Lexington, Kentucky, Hawkins' early years influenced much of his reoccurring subject of animals. Two Deer in Fiery Forest is a captivating scene of two bucks set against a blazing red forest. The pair seem hefty, their weightiness in part bestowed through Hawkins’ use of cornmeal to build up their red bodies and set them apart from the similarly colored forest that encompasses the composition. They appear frozen and alert, awaiting the viewer's next move. As the forest they graze is ablaze with energy, Hawkins skillfully conveys the stillness of the deer, capturing a stark contrast in the composition.