“Magical Garden” by Polly Curran, Sarasota Branch

Photo collage, 24 x 20

Artist Statement

“Magical Garden” is a photo collage artwork I created for entry in the local Sarasota, Florida, Art Center Exhibit, “Trompe L’oei.” It’s a good thing I took a photo of the art, as a visitor promptly bought the art for his daughter, who loves butterflies.

As one who enjoys nature, gardening, and all that Mother Nature offers, hanging out with butterflies is pure joy, but a challenge to the lens of my camera. Capturing this Eastern tiger swallowtail, who was so engrossed in these purple flowers, made it seem easy. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone to enhance this with another medium. Consulting with another artist who often uses butterflies in her illustrations, we explored different methods. Working with different-size paper monarchs, I moved them around the image until I felt it come together. The result was a winner!