Green Parrot Pastel Drawing – Inspired by Tom Robbins’ Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates

This original pastel drawing from 2020 captures a lively burst of green parrots set against a vibrant natural backdrop. Their bright plumage and restless energy immediately reminded me of Tom Robbins’ Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates, where a talking parrot acts as both trickster and truth-teller—echoing the novel’s playful, unpredictable spirit.

I was especially drawn to the composition here: the opposing diagonal lines charge the scene with movement, all converging toward the parrots at center stage. Like Robbins’ bird, they sit at the heart of the story, bold and impossible to ignore.

The palette is lush and layered—greens upon greens, with just a few sparks of orange for contrast—applied in soft pastels with deep, high-pigment color. The work is on archival-quality sanded paper, sprayed with a light fixative, and mounted on foam backing. It comes in a 16x20 white mat with an 11x14 opening, stored in an acrylic sleeve, and ready for framing.

A piece for lovers of literature, symbolism, or simply the joy of parrots. Let me know if you’d like to see more photos!