Here are the butterfly paintings I've completed so far. First one is called "Out My Window". I saw it in September 2019 clinging to my mother's red geranium plant. It was so intent on gathering nectar that when I approached with my camera, it didn't fly away, but simply scooted to a different part of the plant. The fall is the only time of year a monarch is this focused, because they are getting ready to migrate south for the winter. I was staying at my mother's house so she could help me recover from a motorcycle accident after my 10 day hospital stay, or I might not have seen it at all. Definitely a silver lining.                                                                                                                

Painting, "Out My Window"                                            Source photo for the painting.                                            

The next one I painted was from a photo I took on a beautiful day that same year, a week before the accident. There were hundreds of monarchs and painted ladies  feeding in a field of asters, goldenrod, Queen Anne's lace, and other flowers. I was able to get sooo many photos, that it was hard to choose which one to paint from. I finally came up with "Monarch Butterfly in a Field of Asters".                                         

Monarch Butterfly in a Field of Asters                            Source photo

My best friend, Ellen, who shares my love of nature, took a photo of a monarch butterfly as it sat on some phlox in her beautiful yard. She texted me the photo, hoping I would paint it. The resulting painting is titled "Monarch Butterfly Feeding on Phlox".            

Monarch Butterfly Feeding on Phlox                                The Source Photo for the painting.