Friday, July 18, 2014

Butterfly Dreams!

When I lived in community (Breitenbush Hot Springs), one of my favorite 'good night' blessings was 'Butterfly Dreams!' 

Wash & blocking
A couple of weeks ago, someone mentioned loving the colour Violet Oxide, & I decided to use that in my next wash .... My friend Leonard picked up a couple of canvases (22 x 28") when they were on sale at his campus bookstore, so I used one of those.  

When I was playing with paint on canvas, I found I had swirled butterfly wings ... what next?
A butterfly lady, of course! I played with lavender for her face, & for 'hair,' little spiky streeks ... antenae, and of course the wings

Fender's Blue female
As I was admiring some other lovely Ladies, I began thinking about her, that brownish violet in the wash, and realized she was a Blue - & 'not just any blue, but Fender Blue!' (Icaricia icaricaroides fenderi) As a kid, I always loved seeing a cloud of little blue butterflies fluttering above a puddle. 

 The Fender blue is specific to the Willamette Valley, was named for my father-in law in 1931, by his friend & fellow 'buterfly collector' Ralph Macy. By the end of that decade, it was thought to be extinct. Then, few years after his passing, it was rediscovered! (1989) Now a number of little 'sanctuaries' have been set up - scotch broom & blackberries mowed, & their host plant, the Kincaid lupin & favorite nectar mallows encouraged ... & the blues have returned to the valley & coast! 


Icaricia, Butterfly Queen
The males are Lôvélÿ soft blue, females tan...
So I added fringe on the edges of Her wings, (and marveled I'd already used that for "hair"!), stripes of pearl paint on her antenna, and a bit more adornment, ... a few orbs....





Icaricia, Butterfly Queen invites us to STOP and enjoy the flowers!

Their fragrances, their bright joyful colours!
Enjoy them ALL! 
Icaricia
Have favorites! 
Cut back invasive species & Plant those native to your area - see who comes to enjoy them!!
It's up to you to enjoy & nurture the garden of life!


Happy Paint Party Friday!

9 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Beautiful, ethereal work. Valerie

Faye said...

Wow! Your Butterfly Firl is beautiful.

Beth Niquette said...

I adore your butterfly girl. How perfectly lovely. She fills my eyes--which is the greatest compliment I can give.

Anonymous said...

A wonderful way to pay tribute to your father in-law and butterflies! Love the blue!

Linda Kunsman said...

wow-she is enchanting-just gorgeous! Happy PPF!

www.dorissdaughter.com said...

Great effect, she really is dreamlike, beautiful :)

Cindy D. said...

So pretty! I love the blues and the story of the butterflies coming back. :)

denthe said...

Love the story about the fender blue and how it inspired your painting. Beautiful work! Thnx for joining in the bloghop! I'll post my answers to the questions on Tuesday and send you the link via this blog (since you're a no-reply-comment-blogger, so I can't mail you ...)

DVArtist said...

Stunning. She is so beautiful. Well done.
Nicole/Beadwright