Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Dragonflies




Metamorphosis
Dragonflies, Butterflies, Damselflies and Moths
These beautiful insects all have fascinated people and gained a symbolic meaning in many cultures for the metamorphosis that they go through in the process of their lives. Dragonflies, with their amazing flying abilities are over 3 million years old as a species, butterflies and moths are ephemerally beautiful, damsel flies with their jewel colors, catch the eye.
Each of these species has different forms that evolve into the adult. Dragonflies and damselflies  begin as eggs born in water, the egg develops into a nymph, and the nymph, still living in the water, undergoes a number of sheddings of the exoskeleton until  it develops to the adult dragonfly/damsel fly. Although there are overall similarities between  a dragonfly and a damselfly  the  differences are clear with observation.  The eyes of the dragonfly are almost it’s entire head whereas the damsel fly has more googily eyes. The wings and body shapes are also different. Both of them have amazing variety of colors.
Butterflies and moths also begin as eggs, deposited on the undersides of leaves, on the bark of trees. The caterpillar emerges from the egg. The caterpillar creates a cocoon. In this cocoon it liquefies and reconfigures itself into a butterfly/moth. The difference between a moth and butterflies differ from moths in that they have a little club-shape at the ends of their antennae. Moths have a connecting membrane on each side between the two part wing and are mainly nocturnal whereas butterflies are about during the day. Both have astounding colors and camouflage patterns.

These insects have many lenses in their eyes to detect motion and can therefore see from more than one point of view.  This is the fascinating concept to me, as an artist. To see everyday things from a different point of view.
 


The works in this exhibition are my  representation of the metamorphosis of the insects, beginning with photographic images and working with them to the symbolic abstract of line and color.  Seeing this, our world of wonders, from a different point of view.