These pieces are very different, but I finished them at the same time, so wanted to put them up.

These two recent paintings were inspired by very different things.

Rockscape is an oil painting made from a photograph I took at the Dumoine River area with the DRAW artists group.

There were many rocks like these, covered with beautiful lichen and mosses. It seemed like I was looking at a landscape.

The next of the two recent paintings was completed in a few hours in encaustic on cradled board to honour a short life. The encaustic medium helps to preserve the moth’s body.

Cecropia Moths only live for a couple weeks since they lack mouthparts and digestive systems. I like to think this moth (I believe it’s a male due to the large feathery antenna) enjoyed one fine day mating before it died.

As I wrote on a Facebook post, “Usually my copilot is a living dog (or two). Today it was a dying Cecropia Moth. So beautiful. Found on the sidewalk at the mall.

I felt so protective caring it gently back to the car to rest. It was immediately quieter when I held it and put it on the car seat. I think it was happy to have a quiet, supported place to die. It seemed quite distressed to be flapping and dying on the hot sidewalk. It was calm as I drove home.”