know it all

collection of carey manies, 24 x 24″, oil and acrylic on board. the one legged lonesome bird, passing judgment on you, and he’s not happy. i run near the niagara river, and the seagulls will often stand on the railing, facing the water, balancing on one leg, thinking of Macdonald’s wrappers and loose fries. one leg. is the other one tucked away for warmth? i figured maybe if he can make a leg disappear that he can hid other things too. like a little pipsqueak arm, ready to bop you one. but about the leg…maybe it is missing? maybe it is the same seagull i’ve seen and he only has one leg. maybe his name it tony and he is too lazy to hunt for fish (or fries) so he just hangs out on the railing and zones out. maybe he’s sad. or bored. and he probably doesn’t care for the nasty factories across the street. his chest pattern is what he knows, like a tattoo. he has become his environment. his long arm is decorated with what i think of as the “screen gems” design that i remember coming on before certain cartoons in the early 80’s. must have been a production company? but the graphic similar. the shape of the bird reminded me of doing some paintings a long time ago for the aquarium of niagara…and part of my pay was to be able to meet the animals. i got to hold a penguin, which was incredible. it felt like warm firm plastic.