Monarch Butterfly (also monarch) noun: a large migratory orange and black butterfly that occurs mainly in North America. The caterpillar feeds on milkweed, using the toxins in the plant to render both itself and the adult unpalatable to predators. • Danaus plexippus, subfamily Danainae, family Nymphalidae.

This piece is a kind of "mixed media" assemblage, consisting of a very large colorful and abstract painted flower with a 3 dimensional (3D) replica of a monarch butterfly being drawn to it by it's vibrant colors (and fragrance, of course)...

Although this butterfly is NOT actually the real thing; (NO BUTTERFLIES WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS ARTWORK!) it's a very good 3D imitation of one. (I think it's wings are made of feathers, and the thorax of papier mache, and attenae of two thin pieces of plastic thread or wire) . I can't recall where I obtained this cute l'il guy, but I've had it for quite a while now, and I've been holding onto him and waiting for just the right moment to incorporate it into my artwork. Well, with this month's Nibblefest theme being "Butterflies", I'd say, that moment has finally arrived! It will come to you secured to (stiched onto) the canvas but it is VERY delicate (as butterflies are in real life, so please be extra gentle with it).

Monarch butterflies drink nectar from many flowers, including milkweed, dogbane, red clover, thistle, lantana, lilac, goldenrod, etc. My flower depicted here looks to be a large daisy of some sort; perhaps a gerbera daisy?

Adult monarchs possess two pair of brilliant orange-reddish wings, featuring black veins and white spots along the edges. Their wingspan is about four inches, and they weigh less than half an ounce. My butterfly's wingspan is about 2" so we can assume he is only a young'un.

The painting continues onto the canvas sides, and I show several photos here from differing angles so you can get a good idea of what this piece will look like on your wall.

It measures 12x12x1.5" and some of the colors I used are: Quinacridone magenta, cadmium yellow, cadmium orange, burnt sienna, burnt umber and I mixed my own cerulean blue from one part ultramarine blue, two parts white and a drop of cobalt teal.

I signed it on the back so as not to interfere with the artwork.