Tattered Wings

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.

$170 $170