Pelican 2020

James Jean made this painting, Pelican, with a dreamy wash of colour. The shapes are soft and rounded, like petals or maybe teardrops, flowing around the figure and bird in the centre. It feels like diving into a pool filled with watercolour. Looking closely, you can see the paint is thin, almost translucent in places. It's as if the colours are breathing into each other, creating a hazy, ethereal mood. The palette is so muted it’s almost as if the work has been gently bleached by the sun. Focus on the long fluid lines that form the plants and the woman’s flowing hair – there’s a real sense of movement, like you're watching something unfurl. Jean's work often blends the real with the fantastical, a bit like Yoshitaka Amano, but with a softer edge. It makes you think about how we see the world and how much of it is filtered through our own imagination. It’s a reminder that art is all about interpretation, and there's always more than one way to look at things.