Original Oil Painting on Canvas of a pelican by Geoffrey C. Smith, 2020
24" W x 36" H
 
A solitary pelican perches proudly on a weathered piling, aglow in the kaleidoscope of a coastal morning. Its feathers are lit with fiery oranges and golden ochres, balanced by deep shadows of violet and navy, each palette knife stroke sculpting the essence of this familiar sentinel of the shore. The water shimmers around it in layered turquoise, teal, and sun-washed yellow, more felt than seen. Still, dignified, and perfectly content, this pelican doesn't just pose - it presides.