Swallowtail

Painting in progress

Swallowtail - completed painting

 Every year our lilacs bloom for a few days in June. Some years we are lucky enough to have Swallowtail butterflies hanging out during that time. They go from blossom to blossom, taking in as much nectar as they can while the flowers last, which is only about a week at most. This painting reflects that scene.

It took me several months to complete it.  Life got in the way and I found myself leaving it for weeks, and sometimes months at a time.  At one point I got it to the stage you see on the left.  The leaves and the butterfly were mostly done.  When I came back after a three month absence I was excited with ideas and plans for new paintings.  I considered completing the butterfly and adding the finishing details to the leaves, omitting the flowers altogether.  I thought it would still be beautiful, even without the flowers.  I knew in my heart, however, that even though the lilac blossoms only lasted for a few days in the year, they were essential to the painting.  I carried on with my original plan.

I spent another month adding in the lilac flowers and other finishing details.  I now realize how necessary it was to include these.  The rationale I gave myself when I tried to justify stopping early was that the butterfly may have landed on a leaf to rest. But now I could see the reason for the butterfly’s presence.  I could feel her urgency, immersing herself deep into the flowers, feeding on nectar for survival.

I have come to realize that this painting is not just about the beauty of our natural world, it is also about the abundance of nature and how it provides for all creatures of the earth, including us.

To see a larger view of “Swallowtail” go the the Acrylic Gallery section of this website and click on the image of the painting.

Swallowtail - 18” X 24”, Acrylic