I have been working on my entry to the Morean Arts Center “Pelican Proud” exhibition. Morean is located in St. Petersburg, FL, which this year dubbed the pelican the official city bird.
It’s due in April, but as the Morean and everything else is now closed for COVID-19, I have no idea if this exhibition will happen. But art stops for no one — and no virus. Even though the exhibition may never happen, pelicans deserve attention. Especially brown pelicans, which have had such a rough go of it in the Gulf.
For inspiration, I made a drawing from a photo I’d taken of two injured pelicans at Homosassa Wildlife Park.
I love the look in the eye of the one on the left. She (?) seems to be supporting the one on the right, who is blind. They both look like they’d like to take wing and glide away together. I thought to try linocut and monotype to express what they may be thinking.
I will likely develop this idea further, maybe incorporating scenes of St. Petersburg FL. I’m also noodling an abstract interpretation. Stay tuned.