Tattered Wings

by Carly Milligan

One of the treasures that lives on my bookshelf is the remnants of a swallowtail butterfly. It was found, as is, on a hike in the mountains, most of the body gone and returned to the environment. But the jewel-like wings were still mostly intact, so I carried it gently down the mountain and took it home.

The way the gold leaf stuck unevenly to the surface was a perfect ‘happy accident’ since the effect was unexpected, but perfectly captures the beautiful but falling apart nature of this little butterfly.

6 x 6 inches
Graphite, white charcoal, and composite gold leaf on toned paper mounted to a wood panel.

To see more of my work please visit my website at https://www.carlymilligan.com/ and follow @carlymilligan on Instagram.

Product Height: 6 inches
Product Width: 6 inches
Product Surface / Material: Composite gold leaf
Product Surface / Material: Graphite on grey archival paper

$170 $170

In stock

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Carly Milligan

Carly works to bring stories to life through her paintings, specializing in imaginative realism and figurative art. Growing up she was always a creative type and wanted to be everyone and everything, which explains why she’s always been drawn to stories. Nothing lets us explore other lives quite the way narratives do, whether they are told through paintings, books, games, animation, or photography. This love for narrative has drawn her to illustrating for fantasy and sci-fi novels. She has a chronic thirst to learn, explore, and experiment. Her academic background is a bachelor’s in zoology with a minor in chemistry. When not painting and experimenting in her studio you’ll probably find her in her garden or exploring the nearby mountains with her faithful and constant companion, Strider.