Introduction

Staring at a blank canvas and wishing for an idea is the worst part of the painting process. I often visualize a tiny, (more) petulant version of myself standing on a rose-colored shag carpet, punching and kicking into nothing. Ouch. I am not at all alone in this feeling. Anyone who must start from scratch on anything has had some degree of inert frustration at the prospect of beginning something new. It even happened before I started typing the words you see in front of you. Rarely do I have an idea so complete that I am bursting at the seams. In fact, that has never happened. The feeling that my hands, and the drying speed of my medium, can't keep up with my idea comes much later in the process, if ever.

Once the idea enters the pupa stage, it gets interesting. This is the part I will share with you. Because my new work incorporates so many ordinary household objects, the transformation is tantamount to the finished product. This is where you will see under the skirt -- often, quite literally. Parallel peep show on my Instagram @JFSart. I hope that seeing the development here will make the butterfly more beautiful.