Wedding Butterflies

Earlier this month I received an email from my cousin letting me know her daughter (i.e., first cousins once removed!) was getting married. While the wedding was a small family affair, I wanted to recognize the event with something small and personal, a butterfly of some sort.

I've come to appreciate giving and receiving gifts that have been touched or made by someones hands. Handmade means something unique, not mass produced, and embodies the creative spirit of the person who made it. The lack of perfection, even in the patterns of butterfly wings, make the work more interesting.

As I flipped through several of my favorite source books and field guides for inspiration, I was drawn to images with strong orange and blue hues reminiscent of my recent trip to Santa Fe. While the butterfly’s official name, argyrogrammana alstoni, doesn’t roll nicely off the tongue, it is a very beautiful creature and it served well as the muse for these paintings. I painted two butterflies, a prep sketch and the final image in watercolor and a bit of ink.

I hope these colorful wings suit the happy couple and they enjoy the artwork and each other's uniqueness for many years to come.