The Hungry Caterpillar

Original oil painting, 36cm x 36cm (43cm x 43cm framed) on wood.
2023
£250

In this striking composition, two hibiscus blossoms unfold in full bloom, their pale lavender petals tremble with life against a backdrop of deep shadow. At their centres, a vivid crimson bursts outward, surrounding the golden pollen like a sun at the heart of a universe. The flowers are luminous, delicate and alive with transience.

But above the blossom, upon the green foliage, a quieter drama unfolds. A caterpillar has begun its patient work, etching holes into the leaves to fill its belly. What might seem destructive at first glance is, in truth, part of a larger harmony. The plant nourishes the caterpillar, who in turn may someday return to this hibiscus blossom, metamorphosed into a butterfly or moth, a pollinator.

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