Saskatoon-born artist Jerry Rugg, better known as BirdO, is hatching his latest work underneath the Sid Buckwold Bridge at River Landing.

Although Rugg lives in Toronto now he said he's proud to be working on a project in his hometown.

"To work with the city that I was born and raised in is incredible," Rugg said. "[I'm] incredibly elated to be painting here."

The piece, titled River Reflection, came about through the City of Saskatoon's Placemaker program. It features the surreal, bird-themed imagery which Rugg has become known for.

"I think I like to paint birds [because] the beak itself has such a nice texture and then you get to mix in the feather work so there is a nice juxtaposition of solid and soft and feathery."

Rugg got his start painting as a youth in Saskatoon. (Josh Lynn)

Rugg found River Landing as a natural fit for his subject matter, deciding to focus on pelicans in his latest work.

"My mom and I used to bike every year to the weir when the pelicans were in town, and it's interesting now that I live out east, it's a very strange notion, these pelicans," he said.

Rugg hopes to have the mural finished later this week.