Fragility

We are in a constant cycle of new beginnings: career change, pregnancy, relocation, retraining, reinvention, new people, new places, new opportunities. There’s a reason that new chapters begin with a big extravagant letter: it’s exciting, it’s worth commemorating, these are the changes that spur our lives forwards. And they’re scary as hell.

The ultimate symbol of reinvention will forever be the butterfly. But their beauty often overshadows their violent history. Caterpillars don’t wrap themselves up in a cosy web and gracefully grow wings. They savagely tear themselves down to their core parts and rebuild.

Caterpillars destroy themselves in the pursuit of a dream that they most likely can’t identify. Imagine us humans being afraid to take steps towards our tangible goals. Aren’t we funny!

I wonder if butterflies ever look back at the time they were caterpillars… If they do, they probably remember how silly they were wriggling their way around on land, munching every leaf in sight. ‘How juvenile, now we travel by air and only drink nectar darling! Plus, we look spectacular. I mean, you don’t see many pretty girls with caterpillar tattoos, do you?’

That’s why this piece is especially for those starting over. To acknowledge that the bridge between normal and extraordinary is a brutal life overhaul; the dismantlement of your old home, saying goodbye to your old friends, ditching your old habits, making space in your life for the future you deserve. One might say you’ve got butterflies in your stomach.

Giclée printed on 100% cotton rag fine art paper and delivered rolled or flat, ready to frame. Cold press watercolour paper is a 100% cotton rag stock with a matte finish and a tight, etching-like texture. The mid-white base delivers smooth tones and refined detail, making beautiful tactile illustrations and gallery-style wall art prints. Giclée printing is the gold standard used by museums and galleries worldwide so you are assured a top quality artwork for your display. Pigment-based archival inks deliver smoother gradients, richer colour depth and long-lasting brilliance that won’t fade when displayed indoors. Orders sized below 200mm ship flat. All other sizes ship rolled in a protective tube to shield against any damage or creasing.