Metamorphosis
This lovely muppet is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, even though the following story is about a monarch which inspired this piece.
Each summer, I move a succulent garden to the porch where it flourishes in the warm sunshine. Last summer, I watched as a caterpillar moved into the jade plant to build its chrysalis. It was hard to see because he was very camouflaged. I checked on it every week, following along with his journey (actual photos below). One perfect Saturday morning in September, we were lucky enough to catch this beautiful miracle emerge from his chrysalis. Watching this brave, beautiful creature I felt a strong connection to his metamorphosis. Quitting my career, trying to be brave as I built my chrysalis, enduring hard treatment in seclusion, and learning how to be strong while being fully vulnerable and trusting that in the end, I will be transformed. As I write this, I am reminded of the amazing gift I was given by this butterfly. A gift that showed me that with perseverance and courage, I am becoming the beautiful butterfly I was always meant to be. Even if you’re still in your chrysalis, or if you haven’t even began building it yet, I hope this piece will remind you that the long, hard journey will be worth it. And, some might argue that without the hard journey you might never emerge from your own beautiful metamorphosis.
This flying fella was born in May 2021 and created in pencil, ink, colored in Copic markers, and highlights were added using acrylic paint. This fine-art print is 5x5 inches and on 100% cotton, true baryta (barium sulfate) fiber paper that offers the density of a traditional darkroom FB-type paper to hold detail in the deep blacks of the shadow regions, while producing natural white highlights that’s enhanced with a slight fiber glossy surface texture.
Why are Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies so awesome? “When they are in the caterpillar stage, they have two spots that resemble eyes which gives the look of a snake. A great way to fend off their attackers . . . When swallowtails feel threatened, they stick out their osmeterium, a bright red-colored defensive organ found only in the caterpillar stage. When facing a threat by a predator, this structure gives off a pungent odor to get rid of the predator. The osmeterium completes their disguise of appearing like a snake with a forked tongue and “eye spots.” Basically, when threatened, they become teddy bear snakes. Scary looking, but harmless. - Learn more here.
This lovely muppet is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, even though the following story is about a monarch which inspired this piece.
Each summer, I move a succulent garden to the porch where it flourishes in the warm sunshine. Last summer, I watched as a caterpillar moved into the jade plant to build its chrysalis. It was hard to see because he was very camouflaged. I checked on it every week, following along with his journey (actual photos below). One perfect Saturday morning in September, we were lucky enough to catch this beautiful miracle emerge from his chrysalis. Watching this brave, beautiful creature I felt a strong connection to his metamorphosis. Quitting my career, trying to be brave as I built my chrysalis, enduring hard treatment in seclusion, and learning how to be strong while being fully vulnerable and trusting that in the end, I will be transformed. As I write this, I am reminded of the amazing gift I was given by this butterfly. A gift that showed me that with perseverance and courage, I am becoming the beautiful butterfly I was always meant to be. Even if you’re still in your chrysalis, or if you haven’t even began building it yet, I hope this piece will remind you that the long, hard journey will be worth it. And, some might argue that without the hard journey you might never emerge from your own beautiful metamorphosis.
This flying fella was born in May 2021 and created in pencil, ink, colored in Copic markers, and highlights were added using acrylic paint. This fine-art print is 5x5 inches and on 100% cotton, true baryta (barium sulfate) fiber paper that offers the density of a traditional darkroom FB-type paper to hold detail in the deep blacks of the shadow regions, while producing natural white highlights that’s enhanced with a slight fiber glossy surface texture.
Why are Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies so awesome? “When they are in the caterpillar stage, they have two spots that resemble eyes which gives the look of a snake. A great way to fend off their attackers . . . When swallowtails feel threatened, they stick out their osmeterium, a bright red-colored defensive organ found only in the caterpillar stage. When facing a threat by a predator, this structure gives off a pungent odor to get rid of the predator. The osmeterium completes their disguise of appearing like a snake with a forked tongue and “eye spots.” Basically, when threatened, they become teddy bear snakes. Scary looking, but harmless. - Learn more here.
This lovely muppet is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, even though the following story is about a monarch which inspired this piece.
Each summer, I move a succulent garden to the porch where it flourishes in the warm sunshine. Last summer, I watched as a caterpillar moved into the jade plant to build its chrysalis. It was hard to see because he was very camouflaged. I checked on it every week, following along with his journey (actual photos below). One perfect Saturday morning in September, we were lucky enough to catch this beautiful miracle emerge from his chrysalis. Watching this brave, beautiful creature I felt a strong connection to his metamorphosis. Quitting my career, trying to be brave as I built my chrysalis, enduring hard treatment in seclusion, and learning how to be strong while being fully vulnerable and trusting that in the end, I will be transformed. As I write this, I am reminded of the amazing gift I was given by this butterfly. A gift that showed me that with perseverance and courage, I am becoming the beautiful butterfly I was always meant to be. Even if you’re still in your chrysalis, or if you haven’t even began building it yet, I hope this piece will remind you that the long, hard journey will be worth it. And, some might argue that without the hard journey you might never emerge from your own beautiful metamorphosis.
This flying fella was born in May 2021 and created in pencil, ink, colored in Copic markers, and highlights were added using acrylic paint. This fine-art print is 5x5 inches and on 100% cotton, true baryta (barium sulfate) fiber paper that offers the density of a traditional darkroom FB-type paper to hold detail in the deep blacks of the shadow regions, while producing natural white highlights that’s enhanced with a slight fiber glossy surface texture.
Why are Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies so awesome? “When they are in the caterpillar stage, they have two spots that resemble eyes which gives the look of a snake. A great way to fend off their attackers . . . When swallowtails feel threatened, they stick out their osmeterium, a bright red-colored defensive organ found only in the caterpillar stage. When facing a threat by a predator, this structure gives off a pungent odor to get rid of the predator. The osmeterium completes their disguise of appearing like a snake with a forked tongue and “eye spots.” Basically, when threatened, they become teddy bear snakes. Scary looking, but harmless. - Learn more here.
To me, where I create is as important as what I create.
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Photos mentioned above.
