Through the Eyes of the Pelican: The Story Behind Our Best-Selling Brown Pelican Glass Print

There’s something about this brown pelican that makes people stop and look back. The close-up composition, weathered feathers, deep black background, and especially that steady gaze give the piece a presence that feels almost alive. In a room, it doesn’t simply blend into the décor—it becomes one of those pieces people notice.

The Brown Pelican Glass Print began as something much more personal: a large acrylic painting I created for my sister. I wasn’t thinking about products or collections when I painted it. I was thinking about the bird itself—the texture of the feathers, the oversized bill, the warmth in those brown and gold tones, and the expression in its eye.

Over time, that very personal piece became my best-selling pelican wall art at Echoes of the Sea. Customers often comment on the detail when they see it in person, and one reaction I’ve heard more than once is simply, “The detail is insane.” I think much of that reaction comes from the same thing that drew me back to the artwork again and again: the pelican’s gaze.

The original artwork began with a large acrylic painting on black canvas for my sister. I built the pelican slowly, working through layers of paint to develop the feathers, bill, and subtle shifts of brown, cream, and gold against the dark background.

When the painting was finished, I kept looking at it and thinking about what those details might become on glass. I photographed the canvas and brought the image into Photoshop, where the painting began another stage of its life. I deepened some of the shadows, strengthened the highlights, and brought forward details in the feathers that I wanted the eye to linger over.

More than anything, I worked on the pelican’s gaze.

I wanted the eye to feel present—not simply another detail in the composition, but the emotional center of the artwork. The digital work allowed me to emphasize what I already felt in the original painting and give that expression even greater clarity.

The finished brown pelican art is therefore neither simply a painting nor simply a digital image. It grew from both: a hand-painted canvas, photographed and then carefully developed into the artwork you see on glass today.

Much of the piece’s presence comes from the eye. When I was studying graphic art, I created a series of works focused entirely on the eyes of animals because I was fascinated by how much expression could exist in such a small part of the subject. Strength, weariness, curiosity, gentleness—sometimes the eye tells us more than the rest of the image.

That experience came back to me while I was developing this pelican. In Photoshop, I worked carefully around the eye and surrounding feathers, strengthening contrast and detail until the gaze became unmistakable.

From across a room, you first notice the bold silhouette and warm feather tones emerging from the black background. As you move closer, more of the texture appears—the layered feathers, the lines of the bill, the subtle changes in color. And then there is the eye. It has the strange effect of making the pelican feel as though it is looking back.

That is what gives this piece such presence on the wall. It is unmistakably coastal, but it doesn’t depend on obvious beach imagery to make an impression. The bird itself becomes the focal point.

The original Brown Pelican artwork eventually found its way beyond the wall print. The same expressive portrait is now available in several formats, each giving the image a slightly different presence.

• Brown Pelican Glass Print — Our best-selling luminous print.
• Acrylic Block Print — A smaller, sculptural take on the original design.
• Brown Pelican Glass Calendar & Notes Board — A reusable perpetual glass board that blends art and everyday function — coastal calm meets daily inspiration.
• Pelican Bundle & Save Sets — Curated groupings of coastal favorites for your walls.

From expressive brown pelicans and bright white pelicans to sculptural Dalmatian pelicans and more stylized coastal scenes, the full Pelican Wall Art Collection explores just how much personality these shoreline birds can bring to a room.

Some pieces are quiet and atmospheric. Others are bold close-up portraits. Together, they offer different ways to bring the character of the coast home through luminous glass.

Love coastal birds beyond pelicans? Explore the  Coastal Bird Wall Art Collection for herons, flamingos, and other shoreline favorites.

Bring home the gaze that started it all. Discover the Brown Pelican Glass Print or explore the complete collection of pelican wall art inspired by these remarkable coastal birds.