Driftwood Smile
Description
As a kid I loved Storm Boy. There was something about the loneliness of it, the wind, the isolation and the oddness of the characters that stayed with me long after I’d read it.
Looking back, I probably connected with some of that quiet quirkiness myself.
This pelican started with a conversation at the studio while standing around one of our big Breakaway birdbaths, wondering what sort of bird might actually land there. We went from wedge-tailed eagles to pelicans and suddenly my mind was back at the Coorong again.
But somewhere through the making, this piece became far less melancholy than the memory attached to it.
With his oversized beak, exaggerated head and slightly awkward proportions, this pelican developed a personality all of his own. He feels cheeky, warm and slightly ridiculous — more like a character you’d have a conversation with than a wild bird.
Built from reclaimed steel, Driftwood Smile became a reminder that memories from childhood don’t always stay tied to sadness. Sometimes they come back carrying a grin.
Dimensions
2.25m high and 1.7m deep.