Original Oil on Paper by Geoffrey C. Smith, 2024
36"w x 24"h
 
Three magpies perch along a slender, charred branch—bold silhouettes against a field of embered reds, golds, and smoldering orange. Their black-and-white plumage gleams with iridescent hints of violet and green, catching the firelight of a world growing too warm, too fast.
 
Painted in 2024, this work is part of my World on Fire series, which reflects the growing tension between survival and collapse. The magpie—an intelligent, social, and sharp-eyed bird—has long symbolized both watchfulness and adaptability. These three seem to act as omens or witnesses. What are they seeing? What are they remembering?
 
Magpies are among the most intelligent of birds. They belong to the corvid family, cousins to ravens and crows, and have shown remarkable problem-solving skills and even self-awareness. They’re known for mimicking sounds, collecting shiny objects, and thriving in complex social groups. As scavengers and songbirds, they play a vital role in the ecosystem—cleaning, dispersing seeds, and alerting others to danger.
 
Here, they represent the observers of change. Sentinels on the edge of the Anthropocene. Creatures who, despite their small size, remain deeply connected to the fate of the forests, fields, and fires we leave behind.
 
“This piece—painted in oil with palette knife and emotion—isn’t just about the birds. It’s about what they are seeing and that we might miss.
- Geoffrey Smith
 
Featured at the Kenai Art Center- World on Fire, Solo Exhibit 2025