Swallowtail Splendor

by Sandi Howell

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Price

$495

Dimensions

13.750 x 15.500 inches

Title

Swallowtail Splendor

Artist

Sandi Howell

Medium

Painting - Watercolor

Description

In the months following my mother's passing from cancer, I found myself longing for a happy connection with family memories, so I decided to show my husband our favorite family picnic and fishing spot on Bear Creek in the Plumas National Forest. As our car dipped and scraped along the old dirt logging road, I wondered if the creek would still hold the same magic it once had for me as a child, with its fern leaves framing the creek and fallen logs creating the perfect sandy-banked homes for the brightly-spotted brook trout that lived there. The road to the creek actually goes through the creek and continues on the other side of it, but we decided to play it safe and park by the water's edge. As I took a deep breath and surveyed the landscape, not much had changed...it was still a beautiful and peaceful spot. Suddenly, a bright orange and red-spotted wildflower known as the Leopard Lily caught my attention across the creek! I quickly reverted to earlier days, and without a thought, waded into the creek, long pants, shoes and camera in hand, to reach this amazing lily, one of our family favorites. As I readied myself for the photo, suddenly a huge Tiger Swallowtail butterfly came from nowhere and started feeding on the lily! It stayed for an extremely long time as I marveled at its beauty and took many photos. The resulting painting, "Swallowtail Splendor," is my expression of gratitude for the blessing I felt I was given that day...a new, happy memory and reassurance that love never dies.

Uploaded

February 11th, 2013

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