Critter Hockey Painting Appraisal

Folk Art Painting: 'Critter Hockey'

This is a framed folk art painting depicting a whimsical scene of various animals playing ice hockey. The artwork is characterized by its naive style, vibrant colors, and simplified forms. The central focus is an ice rink with red boards, where numerous anthropomorphic animals, including what appear to be dogs, cats, cows, pigs, and other creatures, are engaged in a hockey game. Each animal is rendered with distinct colors and patterns, some wearing sweaters, and all holding hockey sticks. The background features a snowy landscape with blue sky, rolling hills, and stylized pink trees with visible leaf-like shapes. One of the trees on the left is adorned with pink leaves, while another on the right has similar pink elements. In the upper right corner, there is a scoreboard with illegible text. Numerous animals are also scattered around the perimeter of the rink, some skating and others observing. The painting exhibits a flat, two-dimensional quality, typical of folk art. It is housed in a simple, off-white frame, which appears to be wooden. A signature, 'R. Schuyler', is visible in the lower left corner of the painting, along with what might be an edition number '85' or 'S5', though it is difficult to discern clearly. The overall condition appears good, with no obvious signs of major damage, repairs, or significant wear visible from the provided image. The painting's cheerful subject matter and distinct style suggest it could be a charming decorative piece, likely dating from the late 20th to early 21st century, given its contemporary folk art aesthetic.