About this Painting: This painting is of a brown pelican on a rocky cliff overlooking the deep blue waters surrounding the Channel Island chain off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. I visited Santa Cruz Island with a group of people led by a Nature Conservancy guide in 1995. Santa Cruz is the largest island in the chain. On land pelicans seem awkward and comical. However, once they are in the air, they are masterful at gliding just over the tops of the waves. Once they spot fish near the surface of the water, pelicans will dive from 20 to 30 feet up to scoop up their prey with their huge bill. They rarely miss.
 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |