Wings of the Butterfly. 🦋
When I look at this painting, created back in 2014, I find myself wondering just how many of those tiny butterfly wings I’ve painted in my life. Likely hundreds by now! They’ve become such a recognisable thread in my work, and I still love drawing them.
There’s something tender about embedding little symbols that hold personal meaning for me into my art. It feels like I’m leaving behind intimate, whispered notes (small drops of myself) woven into each piece.
The butterfly wings, for instance, often symbolise freedom, lightness, whimsy, and ease. Sometimes transformation, yes, but for me, more often they speak to the longing for lightness. A wish to be unburdened. I love how butterflies flap about in their unpredictable, carefree way. So lithe. So unencumbered. I rarely feel like that myself. But how I wish I did.
This painting is layered with symbols I still use to this day:
* The whimsical little houses, speaking to my deep need for belonging and community
* The hanging hearts and stars, evoking love and wisdom; I’ve always wished for them falling from the sky in buckets
*The sweet creatures perched on shoulders, hands or other body parts, partly for whimsy, partly as symbols of ever-present little unconditionally loving guardians.
I wrote recently about how I tend to paint *what I need for my pain*, rather than painting the pain itself. This painting is such a perfect example of that.
I needed sunshine, rainbows, unconditional love, friendship, community, belonging, wisdom. And so; here it is, all wrapped up in this tender, hope-filled image.
Colour-wise, I still love that glowing orange aura around the girl, contrasted against the deep teals. The washi tape and collage on the dress felt rough and playful in just the right way. And I remember feeling especially delighted by the butterfly wing drawn onto the collarbone; it’s that kind of strange, poetic detail that lights up the right side of my brain, the place where all the good magic lives. ✨
I’m curious; how does this painting speak to you?
This is day 9 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱
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