I have spent countless hours observing the fleeting moments and movements of the natural world. Transfixed by the tranquil flitting of butterflies in the garden, I find myself lost in quiet appreciation.
As I create my designs, I experience the wonder of those moments all over again— a butterfly nectaring at its favorite flower, or a caterpillar munching the foliage of its host plant. My process begins by patiently following critters in the garden, taking photographs to study them from every angle, then portraying their likeness and liveliness in my drawings.
When arranging elements into illustrations and patterns, I try to evoke what I was feeling when I first caught sight of that magical interaction between flora and fauna. From the tiniest flutters of Azures to long, sweeping arcs of Swallowtails in flight, butterfly gardens are sites of constant activity and change throughout the growing season.
While their numbers are in decline, Monarchs are still a wondrous site in the landscape. Milkweed, host plant to the Monarch caterpillar and a favorite nectar-rich wildflower for adult butterflies, boasts many varieties native to the different regions along their migration route. In this collection I focus on Butterfly-weed, a rare orange bloom in the Upper Midwest matching the Monarch’s bright coloring.
Early visitors to spring habitat gardens, American Lady butterflies can be seen clinging to the bark of River Birch trees when the sap runs. They also stop to lay their eggs on host plants like Pussytoes and Pearly Everlasting. Spiny black caterpillars devour the foliage a few weeks later, but the plants soon recover in time to show off plentiful white blooms.
One of the smallest butterflies to visit, Spring and Summer Azures dance lightly along the tops of seasonal blooms. They stop briefly to gather nectar before flitting off to the next flower. While it is still a treat to see one or two, at times a kaleidoscope of them hover just above the garden. The effect is like glitter sparkling in the morning sun.
Buttercream yellow or licorice black, Swallowtails are some of the larger species of butterfly to grace our gardens all summer. They visit a range of wildflowers, often lingering for extended poses on their favorites to give slow-moving photographers like me a chance to snap a few pictures before they move on.
