Gossamer Wings

I thought I would celebrate the first week of Spring by painting something bright and colourful; a delicate Monarch Butterfly came to mind, so here is my "Monarch of the Garden":

 

Where does the butterflies colour come from?

 

"Butterflies actually get their colors from two different sources: ordinary (or pigmented) color and structural color. The ordinary color comes from normal chemical pigments that absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect others. For example, the pigment chlorophyll colors plants green. The chlorophyll soaks up the blue and red colors of the spectrum, but not the green, which you see when it bounces back to your eye. Most butterflies get their different shades of brown and yellow from melanin, the same pigment that makes you tan in summer and gives some people freckles.

The structural color of butterflies is where things get interesting. This type of color stems from the specific structure of the butterflies' wings and explains why some of a butterfly's colors seem to shift and appear so intense. This quality of changing colors as you, the observer, moves is known as iridescence, and it occurs more in nature than you might think. Mother of pearl seashells, fish and peacocks are just a few examples of animals with this quality, but it is most pronounced in the butterfly family. It happens when light passes through a transparent, multilayered surface and is reflected more than once. The multiple reflections compound one another and intensify colors."

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/butterfly-colors.htm



 

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I have twice visited butterfly "farms", protective enclosures with the food, temperature and humidity controlled so the butterflies can thrive. Butterflies become more active in hot and humid conditions. Great for the butterflies but hard on the photographer and camera! 



 

The first "butterfly farm" was in Costa Rica, and on that visit a butterfly perched on my shoulder for most of my visit. Butterflies gladden the spirit and brighten the eye, here are some pictures and quotes about butterflies:

 

"May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond."
~Irish blessing

 





Blue Morpho on my shoulder

Tiger Longwing

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  ~Hans Christian Andersen





Blue Morpho showing the inside of the wings
 

 

 

My second visit to "Butterfly Farm" was in Arizona:

Clysonimus

  

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies."

 ~Author unknown

Tiger Longwing

 

Tree Nymph

 

"The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity."

~Attributed to George Carlin

 

 

 "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly."

 ~Richard Bach

Blue morpho (outside)

 

 

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life.  And everyone deserves a little sunshine. "

 ~Jeffrey Glassberg

White Admiral

 

 

"The butterfly is a flying flower,
The flower a tethered butterfly."
~Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun

 

"There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."

  ~Richard Buckminster Fuller

Postman

Siproeta Stelenes

 

"Love is like a butterfly:  It goes where it pleases and it pleases wherever it goes."

  ~Author Unknown

Think this is a Fritillary

You’re My Butterfly

"Your are the most beautiful thing
I’ve ever seen
You shine just like sunlight rays
On a winter snow
I just had to tell you so

Your eyes sparkle as the stars
Like the moon they glow
Your smile could light the world on fire
Or did you know?

Your minds full of everything
That I want to know
I just had to let you know
I just had to tell you so
Your’re my butterfly
Fly high
Fly fly fly"

Lyrics/Song – Lenny Kravitz

That is it for butterflies for today, if I have any of the names wrong please let me know.

 

Thanks for joining me on my flight of fancy today.

 

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I have some art news to share:

 

I am very pleased to say that my painting "Pretty in Pink" has been accepted into the "Just Flowers" juried show at the Newton Cultural Centre in April.

 

Also they have awarded me the Spotlight Cover Award for the exhibition, my painting will be featured on the cover of the April issue of Arts Council of Surrey's Spotlight on the Arts Magazine.

 

 

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I finally figured out how to add a reaction bar to the end of my blog, so you can add a reaction to the blog even if you don't have a google ID.

 

 

That's all for this week, happy Wednesday, with whimsy,

 

Gillian

 

I love to get your comments.

  

 

 

Skookumchuck?

So what does Skookumchuck mean?

A Chinook term, Skookum means "strong" and "chuck" refers to water, so combined the term literally means strong or powerful water. It the case of Skookumchuck Narrows it refers to tidal rapids.

To view the rapids you need to walk a 4 km trail from the parking lot.

Near the parking lot is an old truck and a newer sign. Here is my painting of the old truck which I have named "Skookumchuck Truck":

 

It is an 11" X 14" watercolour on Arches CP watercolour paper.

It was a few years ago that we travelled to the park and I photographed this old truck and promised myself I would paint it one day and figure out what the sign meant. The sign the "Green Rosette Bake Shop" apparently points to a bakeshop nearby that has a reputation for making very fine cinnamon buns; it must have been closed when we were there because I love cinnamon and can track down a cinnamon bun from quite a distance!

Here are some photographs that I took and some more information on the park.

Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park:

"This park was established in 1957. Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park provides trails and viewing areas for visitors who wish to experience the awesome power of incredibly turbulent tidal rapids. On a 3 metre tide, 200 billion gallons of water flow through the narrows connecting Sechelt and Jervis Inlet.

The difference in water levels between one side of the rapids and the other sometimes exceeds 2 metres in height. Current speeds can exceed 30km/hr. The rapids are famous for their spectacular whirlpools and whitewater.

There are opportunities to view tidal rapids, waterfowl and abundant marine life at various tidal levels. Brown Lake provides further waterfowl viewing opportunities.

Consult with the tide tables for this area to get a schedule of the best viewing times of the rapids."

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/skook_narrows/

 

 First of all, I am always lagging behind because I am looking for photo opportunities, so I often see the rapidly disappearing form of my husband in the distance ahead of me, why should this trip be any different.

 

The trail passes Brown Lake ...

 

 

... and passes through a second growth hemlock forest.

 

 

 

By tumbling creeks and ...

 

 

many interesting tree stumps. This "foot" for example:

 

 

Several "tree monsters"

 

This one reminds me of an elephant:

 

 

A wolf:

 

Some octopuses, or is that octopi:

 

 

And these reminders of how magnificent the forest was at one time with their eye slots the remains of loggers springboard platforms.

 

 

And finally the narrows, you need to arrive near the tide change for the most impressive currents.

 

You can probably tell that the wind is blowing pretty hard, this little fellow is really hanging on:

 

A couple of tidal pools:

 

 

and more of the narrows...

 

 

A still picture just doesn't do it justice, so here is a video:

 

 

 

 

Here is the picture I took of a bulldozer and the truck.

 

 

 

Maybe I should paint the bulldozer too, what do you think?

 

 

I now have an all art Facebook page, if you would like updates on what I am up to in the studio you can friend me at:

 

https://www.gillianolsonartArt

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I guess that takes us full circle, I hope you have enjoyed the outing.

 

 

That's all for this week, happy Wednesday, with whimsy,

 

Gillian

 

I love to get your comments!

 

 

Pretty in Pink?

I have been "in the pink" all week, often covered in several different shades of pink.

No, I haven't been painting the house, just a painting, but sometimes I just can't help myself!

Quinacridone red, permanent alizarin crimson, rose madder and quinacridone magenta are beautiful transparent (pink to purple) watercolours on paper but also make a statement when smudged on hands, chin and forearms!

So here is the "Pretty in Pink" hot off the easel:

 

 

It is a painting of Bougainvillea against a wall, basking in the Italian sunshine. I took this picture a few years ago and have finally painted it! I think the pink parts are actually leaves not flowers, that surround the small white flowers.

 

(14" X 20" on Arches CP watercolour paper)

 

 

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So am I "in the pink"? Yes, I think so, but

that has me wondering where the expression comes from and even what it means.

"The general usage of this phrase has altered somewhat since it first entered the language. We now usually see it with the specific meaning of 'the pink of condition', that is, in the best possible health. It is tempting but, as it turns out, misguided, to assume an association between 'the pink of condition' and the healthily glowing pink cheeks of new-born babies or energetic sportsmen/sportswomen and the like.

The earliest citations of 'in the pink' are from the 16th century and, at that time, the meaning was 'the very pinnacle of something', but not necessarily limited to health. The earliest example that I can find of pink being used with that meaning is from 1597 Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, 1597:

Mercurio: Why, I am the very pinke of curtesie.

The earliest citation I've found for 'in the pink' is from Leigh's Kensington Gardens, 1720:

"'Tis the Pink of the Mode, to marry at first Sight: - And some, indeed, marry without any Sight at all."

Why pink has been chosen to epitomise the pinnacle of quality is more likely to do with the Dianthus flower, many varieties of which are called Pinks. It is known that society in the reign of Elizabeth I admired the flowers, hence the first uses of pink with the 'excellent' meaning in that period.

 

What is interesting to speculate on is why the flowers were called Pinks. You may think that a silly question, as Dianthuses are almost always pink. There are two quite believable theories. One suggests, that it is the flowers that gave their name to the colour, rather than vice-versa, and that the name derives from the Dutch 'pinck-ooghen' - 'little eye' (literally - to blink). The second theory is based on the earlier verb form of pink, which means to cut or to pierce - in a style that would now be done using pinking shears. Dianthuses are said to be called Pinks because their edges are pinked. Take your choice." (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/in-the-pink.html)

It is almost spring time and there is pink popping up all around, here is a sampling:

 

Tulips (above) and Camillia (below)

 

 

 

 

 

Pair of House Finches (above) and a bit of pink in the forest path (below)

 Positively perplexing pink reflections:

.... and my favorite the pale pink of a back lit rabbits ear

the early cherry blossoms are out, hooray!



That is it for "pink" today but I have some more art news for you. A couple of weeks ago I posted this painting, which I had named "A Rest in the Shade", a not very exciting name I admit. There was a suggestion that I get rust in the title so it in now named "Rusting in the Shade", thankyou L, much better title.

 

Here is another new painting. I am calling it "Out for Lunch" but I am open to suggestions.





 

This is also 14" X 20" watercolour on Arches CP paper. It is a deux chevaux that I photographed in France last fall.

 

"The Citroën 2CV (French: "deux chevaux" i.e. "deux chevaux-vapeur" (lit. "two steam horses", "two tax horsepower") is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive, air-cooled economy car introduced at the 1948 Paris Mondial de l'Automobile and manufactured by Citroën for model years 1948–1990."

Wikipedia

Do you have any pictures of old vehicles that deserve to be painted? If so contact me at info@pswhimsy.com
 

 

I now have an all art Facebook page, if you would like updates on what I am up to in the studio you can friend me at:

 

https://www.facebook.com/GillianOlsonArt

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Here is a wonderful video someone shared with me this week, I am passing it on to you.

Amazing video of Khalil Daweish Abu Adam:



 

 

That's all for this week, thanks for dropping by, and thank you for your comments,

 

happy Wednesday, with Whimsy,

 

Gillian