Pelican Pals Morning Walk ~ Fred and Barney kibitzing!
My latest Brown Pelican painting features two pelicans taking a walk along a rickety old wharf, kibitzing about their plans for the day. From the minute I spotted them it reminded me of buddies walking home from a bar together, or maybe heading off to lunch to get a burger and a beer. One day after posting a work-in-progress pic, a friend asked me what I was going to name the two pelicans. As I painted and mulled it over it came to me, Fred and Barney after the animated cartoon characters Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble in the 1960’s hit The Flintstones!
Pelican Pals Morning Walk by William R. Beebe, 36 x 48, Oil on canvas, $11,500
Barney was Fred’s sidekick, much smaller in stature, always looking to Fred to make decisions and lead the way. They did everything together including going to lunch or a bar for a beer. Their scheming would always end up getting them in trouble with their wives.
Pelican Pals Morning Walk by William R. Beebe, close up of Barney! ;-)
Pelicans are kind of prehistoric in nature and The Flintstones featured a prehistoric lifestyle. The comedy was so creative in that the animals and birds could walk and talk and had many human characteristics.
Pelican Pals Morning Walk by William R. Beebe, feet detail
In my painting Fred and Barney are actually near the North Beach Jetty in Nokomis, Florida. The Pelican Alley Seafood Restaurant is on the other side of the waterway where a number of other Brown Pelicans are hanging out. If I were to project my thoughts on these two characters like the writer of The Flintsones might do, I would speculate that they were discussing the oversized Red Gulf Grouper sandwich that is on the menu at Pelican Alley. They are planning to have a couple of IPA beers to wash it down. Their wives won’t be too happy with them when they get home, but they are buddies and this has become their routine.
They said they were going fishing so they figured they weren’t lying, only stretching the truth. :)
The water on the Gulf side of Florida is a beautiful emerald green with a little bit of turquoise. The pelicans were having a field day mid-morning diving for fish right from the dock. These two were actually taking turns jumping off the pier, bill first from about 8 feet high. Every time, they would catch a fish in their pouch, let the water out, and then fly back onto the pier. This happened over and over again. The amount of fish they can consume is most impressive.
This is a large painting, 48” x 36” oil on canvas. I enjoy painting pelicans close to life-size in order to enhance the sense of realism. I spent quite a bit of time photographing these two characters and watching their antics. Pelicans are known to be quite mischievous and these two were no exception. I hope that comes across in my painting.
Pelican Pals Morning Walk is meant to capture and symbolize that wonderful time spent with a favorite walking partner or buddy; kibitzing about all that is good or bad, sharing the most personal of thoughts, and being there for each other.
Thank you for your interest in my art and for reading my journal. This painting along with a number of other pelican paintings will be featured in my show at Mary Martin Gallery on Broad Street in Charleston opening Friday night July 7th, 5:00pm-8:00pm! I hope y’all can come!
“One of the joys of being an artist is having the freedom to follow my passion….”
What’s next?
Drawing by William R. Beebe