Dragonflies in flight are a wonderful sight to behold. Large, iridescent bi-winged creatures zooming and weaving as if playfully. They begin their lives as nymphs, aggressive aquatic predators that can remain in that stage as long as five years. By contrast, the adult stage we all know as the dragonfly proper is only the briefest part of its lifespan, at most a few months.
In much European folklore the dragonfly usually has sinister significance, associating them with devils or fairy mischief, an example of which is the English nickname of “the Devil’s darning needle.” By contrast they are held to be auspicious by many Native American tribes, symbolizing swiftness, renewal, purity. In some other parts of the world it is held to be a sign of good luck if a dragonfly lands on you. The japanese hold the dragonfly as a symbol of courage and happiness and often feature then in haikus.
Size: 2.25″ x 2.5:
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, gold pigment, resin on canvas.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love your artwork. I saw it in ‘The Equinox’ (in which I am also featured) and thought it was really interesting and attractive.
Thank you. I am a fan of your blog and I’m looking forward to reading your article. I don’t have my copy of “the Equinox” yet.
Absolutely beautiful! This has to be my favorite piece!
Thank you. This is one of those singular pieces. I haven’t made another that is anything like it and I’m not sure I could if I tried.