#2670 "Singleton Butterfly Kisses"

#2670 "Singleton Butterfly Kisses"
12x10 inches oils on panel

I wanted to have some fun on a smooth and slippery surface. I went looking for wildflowers and found lots of them behind the solar panels. I painted for an hour of tranquillity surrounded by nature. 

A single swallowtail butterfly started out with me when I applied the first brush stroke. Three of its friends soon arrived and they clearly related well together. A hummingbird moth joined us along with an aerator bird - a yellow-shafted flicker. One butterfly landed briefly on my painting but I was too slow with the camera but that memory was stored nonetheless. One butterfly landed on my hat. A tick crawled on to my sock... nature can have a down side as well I guess. The June sun was extremely powerful and it cooked my oils on the smooth panel. The heat was going to be almost too much to endure. It was important though to capture the moment while embedded in nature. 

The guide books identified the butterfly as a "black swallowtail" as near as I can determine. There are lots of swallowtail butterflies and the difference between them are subtle. I could not really be certain as it fluttered by. 

I consulted with my biologist friends as to the identity of the flowers. They did not hesitate at labelling them as Dame's Rocket - sometimes tootled as an invasive, but generally just a few plants in a cluster on recently disturbed soil or along streams. Dame's rocket was brought to North America in the 17th century and has since become naturalized there, now growing throughout most of the US and Canada. Young leaves are high in vitamin C and can be eaten in salads and have a slightly bitter taste. Seeds can be sprouted and also eaten in salads. 

It was the eve of D-Day and I was remembering my Father and the countless others of the Greatest Generation who gave so much for peace... so I could stand out in the forest and simply paint. 

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