Lucille (goose)

Wisconsin artist Cathryn Ruvalcaba creates images of classic midwestern farm scenes by zooming in on the animals that populate these fields. Her use of oil paint on gesso board offers a realist lens of these subjects. While her style nears photo realism, there is an added level of playfulness that sets her work apart. The bright, almost neon brush strokes that accent the scene bring out the life that others might see as mundane. She anthropomorphizes the animals she creates, making her subjects seem almost fantastical. Yet the familiarity of the species she paints roots these animals in reality. For example, she has endowed the sheep in this painting with the name "Earl". The eye contact that has been created for the subject almost convinces the viewer that Earl is himself human.