An orange flamingo stands on long pink legs with its neck curved against green palm foliage, while an iguana rests on the sandy ground at right.

The Scarlet Curve

MG-0162

2020-07-20

About this piece

Bright orange plumage and a looping neck distinguish the flamingo against a dense backdrop of palm leaves. Strong sunlight reveals the layered feathers and slender legs, while an iguana at the lower right adds a quieter animal presence to the vertical composition.

The story

I framed the flamingo against the palms, drawn first to the almost continuous curve of its neck. Sunlight separated the orange feathers from the deep green behind them, revealing pale edges across its back. Below that vivid body, the legs seemed improbably slender. I kept the sandy ground in the frame, where an iguana offered a quieter counterpoint: two creatures sharing the light, each with an entirely different way of occupying it.

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