Butterflies, Dragonflies & Bees
Insects have a beauty and structure that are worthy of artwork.
Outnumbering by far mankind, their wings, heads, thoraxes and abdomens are colorful and intricate. Many creative textures and colors can be used to simulate the look and feel of he insects. When placed in the correct environments, they draw us into their beauty.
Many of the collagraph and monoprint images are part of a series printed on 30" X 22" Rives BFK printmaking stock. High-quality reproductions known as giclees are available for much of my artwork. Contact me for more information.
Majesty
Royal Traveler
Royal Traveler
The monarch butterfly is classified as a "vulnerable" species, one step below an endangered species. It's population is on the decline due to herbicides, pesticides and climate change.
Royal Traveler
Royal Traveler
Royal Traveler
Every spring and summer, we retrieve the small caterpillars from the milkweed on our property, raise them through their chrysalis stage, and release the adult monarchs.
Butterfly
Flyin' High
Flyin' High
A plastic mesh was pressed onto an inked plate. I saw butterfly wins in the resultant shape, and registered this impressionistic butterfly on it.
Flyin' High
Flyin' High
Flyin' High
This reverse image of the butterfly was completed with a cooler color palette. A total of four monoprints are in this series, all uniquely different.
Red Oak
Flyin' High
Red Oak
The tree collagraph in this print is used in many of of my works. A monarch butterfly, beetle. and centipede help make this forest come alive.
Red Coneflowers
Coneflowers & Swallowtails
Coneflowers & Swallowtails
Swallowtail butterflies are frequent visitors to a garden of coneflowers in the summer. Most of them are yellow and black, but swallowtails also are black and blue. They feed on Queen Anne's lace and similar vegetation.
Coneflowers & Swallowtails
Coneflowers & Swallowtails
Coneflowers & Swallowtails
Look closely and you'll see that the two halves of this print are mirror images with different coneflowers being artistically brought to the foreground. This is accomplished by printing reverse images on top of each other.
Dragonpad
Flying Dragon
Dragonpad
These dragonflies are three in a series of six monoprints. The image was printed onto various backgrounds and finished with ink and colored pencils.
Flagondry
Flying Dragon
Dragonpad
Printing the dragonfly wings was a challenge with a solution that involved a hardware store. The wing designs are patterns of fluorescent light diffusers.
Flying Dragon
Flying Dragon
Flying Dragon
Dragonflies require lily pads. The pads were stenciled onto several in the series, then finished and shaded with complementary colors.
Buzzooka
Bumboozeled
Bumboozeled
This is the first image of a bumblebee in a two monoprint series. The distinctive black, white and orange bands of color blend in with the multi-colored background.
Bumboozeled
Bumboozeled
Bumboozeled
The wings of this bumblebee monoprint are finished with transparent yellow ink and complement the mottled background. The body is ink and colored pencils.