Fly Pelican I ~ "Oh, to Fly" ~ Watercolor

This pelican watercolor painting captures the surprising grace of a bird most people think of as ungainly. "Fly Pelican I" shows a brown pelican in flight — and in flight, everything changes. The heavy bill, the oversized pouch, the stocky body all become aerodynamic. A pelican riding a thermal is one of the most elegant sights on any coastline. This painting catches that transformation.

I worked freehand on archival cotton rag paper with Kissho Gansai pigments from Kyoto. The brown pelican's plumage moves through a range of warm earth tones — chocolate, tawny, silver, cream — that the natural mineral pigments render with a luminosity synthetic paints miss. The extended wings required broad, confident strokes that carry the weight of the bird while suggesting effortless glide. Wet-on-wet washes let the wing tones blend seamlessly.

"Fly Pelican I" belongs to my Oh, to Fly! collection alongside the herons, cranes, and ospreys. The pelican brings a different energy — less drama, more effortless mastery of the air. Brown pelicans are the only pelican species that plunge-dive for fish, folding their wings and hitting the water from heights of sixty feet or more. In flight, they trade that intensity for a glide so smooth it barely disturbs the air. The warm earth-tone plumage carries more complexity than most people realize.

One of a kind. Coastal warmth for living rooms, beach houses, and any space connected to the shore. Framing options available. Free shipping, complimentary insurance, and certificate of authenticity included.

Materials:  Each watercolor original is unique, the only one of its kind. Created on 300lb Arches Watercolor Paper with Japanese Sumi-é watercolor paint designed to last a lifetime.

Framing: Each piece is elegantly presented with light grey matting in a handmade wooden frame with a grey-washed finish. UV plexiglass and archival materials ensure long-lasting preservation. Crafted with care, our frames are 1.5" deep and handcrafted from solid wood by our trusted local framer.

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Cost: Shipping is FREE for all original works up to approx. 30x40". For large artwork, we cover the first $500 in shipping costs; please email us your zip code for a quote.

Packaging: All originals are shipped flat (not rolled). For work larger than 30x40", though our boxes are plastic-reinforced, you have a choice of wood crating to ensure safe transport for an additional fee.

Schedule: Unframed work ships within 1-2 weeks, while framed pieces require 2-3 weeks for delivery. Crated and oversized works may take 4-6 weeks. If your order is time-sensitive, please leave us a note during checkout and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

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Insurance: We provide complimentary shipping insurance for all orders. In the event that your item arrives damaged, please document it with pictures and notify us immediately so we can initiate a claim on your behalf.