Axis deer at Papokaku Beach, bathed in golden, early morning light streaming through a kiawe forest. The deer were introduced to Moloka’i from India and have done well. The deer live in large family herds, keep their spots into adulthood and a dominant female leads the group. Watching them leaping over fences, like a river of deer, takes your breath away.

This painting was interpreted with permission from one of Richard A. Cooke’s iconic photographs of the island he calls home (with permission)