Rainy Days & the Mariposa

Karen Tashkovski, MARIPOSA, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″
Karen Tashkovski, PITALUDKA, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″

I love it when it rains.  I spent the week working on these paintings and I just finished them:  a dozen encaustic butterfly paintings.

Karen Tashkovski, PSYCHE, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″
Karen Tashkovski, CHO, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″
Karen Tashkovski, BUTTERFLY, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″

I also watched the entire series of a show called Mallorca Files.  It is about police detectives working in Mallorca, Spain.  The lead characters are German and British detectives.

This gave me the idea to look up how to say butterfly in different languages.  I chose Spanish first (Mariposa) then German (Schmetterling) and Welsh (Gloyn) – I hope those are accurate, lol.

I also chose Macedonian and Vlashki for obvious reasons, and Italian, Greek and Japanese….

Karen Tashkovski, PEPERUTKA, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″
Karen Tashkovski, SCHMETTERLING, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″

The idea for these butterflies has been fluttering about my head for quite a while.  I had a breakthrough with the devices.  I was going to use different items for the thorax but it just felt like I was trying too hard to be inventive.  The paint brush idea feels fresh to me, like new but you can still tell that it’s me.

The amount of paintings I’ve made this summer has created a transformation in me.  I feel alive and refreshed, and authentic and new.  Finally.

Karen Tashkovski, FARFALLA, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″

It feels really good.  I am my own butterfly.

Karen Tashkovski, GLOYN, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″

I plan to sell/exhibit these paintings with the butterfly bracelets I made using those vintage tin butterfly pins from Estonia.  Not sure when or where.  Stay tuned.

Karen Tashkovski, PAPILLON, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″

If you are seeing my posts on Facebook (Karen Tashkovski-Visual Artist), can you check to make sure you “like” me and follow me?  I’ve invited a number of you to do that and you actually haven’t done that yet.  Thanks in advance.  And while I’m asking, it would help a lot if you shared my content on your pages.  Can you do that?  Yessssss!

Karen Tashkovski, PILI PALA, 2024, encaustic & collage on gesso board, 8″ x 8″

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