Tiger Moth
In May I had a dream about a ghost. It wasn't necessarily creepy. It
was just a ghost pointing the way to a mysterious place.
I wanted to remember her better. I wanted to look at her a little
longer; a little more deeply.
I painted a picture of her.
I painted the eyes the way I remembered.
Her clothes were mysterious. For her sleeves I borrowed a photo of old
bare trees in a graveyard. I found a picture similar to old door she
kept pointing to.
Creating the picture this far was enough for me to remember her.
I knew this picture wasn't going to turn into a piece of art that
anyone would want hanging in their home. I doubted it would have an
audience. I knew the only one who would really have any connection with
this ghost was me.
I don't make art just for me. It is to share with you. I make art
because I am curious about life. I love life's beauty in its
complexity. I want to share my experience of this with you. And because
I love to bring a smile to your face.
Ghost and Moth
Ghost and Moth
So in order to be done with the ghost, just to satisfy me, I plopped a
pretty moth in the open space, just because it seemed to fit there, and
it was laying on my table. Then I took a picture and posted it on
Facebook with a comment something like this: I'm finished with ghosts.
A moth is drawn to the light.
That was the profound message to me.
Turning toward the inner light
Tiger Moth
Tiger Moth
The next day, walking at the Laguna Trail I noticed the wings of a
tiger moth. The color and pattern is distinctive. I have always loved
finding these colorful moths in my garden. They don't seem common so I
never worry that they will eat much.
When a Tiger Moth has shed its wings, I know it has met its demise.
Or fed some hungry bird.
I carried the wings for awhile, wondering what I could do with them. I
admired their beauty a little longer. Then I decided I needed to make a
Tiger Moth collage.
When I got home I got curious what the Tiger Moth caterpillar looked
like. I was surprised to discover it is a wooly bear. That was always a
favorite caterpillar catch when I was a kid. I don't see those very
often any more.
I felt sorry for this fine creature now seeming so rare.
In a previous career as a Mechanical Designer and Draftswoman, my job
was to create drawings.... the plans, for how things are to be made.
Things like brackets on satellites, laptop computer parts, and medical
devices that help implant stents into people's bodies to save their
lives. Without my careful drawings, these amazing things could not be
created over and over reliably.
Now my work is more expressive, more collaborative with chance, or
mysterious luck. It comes from a place of love and wonder. I can't help
but think that what I create now, is creating another tiger moth. Or
flower. Or flamingo. It is what my creativity has always done: bringing
things into being.
So Tiger Moth it was for the collage last month. A reminder of the
beauty of small things. To preserve their delicate being. And like a
moth, be drawn toward the light.
Take care,
Emilie Munsch
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