I Have A Thing About Monarch Butterflies. Frequently, They Land On My Shoulder And Sit There Slowly Flapping

I have a thing about Monarch butterflies. Frequently, they land on my shoulder and sit there slowly flapping their wings.

The top panel depicts a black & white photograph of a Monarch butterfly sitting on my shoulder, circa 1966.

The middle panel depicts a watercolor wash of me done by my sister, Sibyl, when she was 16 years old, circa 1967. This uniquely stylized 16" X 20" canvasette wash was inspired by the 1966 black & white photograph depicted in the top panel. The finished product was never fixed so its pigments became dramatically altered over the years. Hence the classic red/orange Monarch is now blue. Since then, Sibyl has become one of the finest watercolorists I have ever seen. 

In 1987 I was sitting in the exact same location and position as I was in the 1966 black & white photograph when yet another Monarch landed on the same shoulder. Add to that, the same person that shot the 1966 photograph just happened to have a camera in hand at the time and shot the color photograph depicted in the third panel. This was an Incredibly coincidental opportunity to recreate the 1966 black & white photograph that inspired my sister to do the watercolor of the same subject. The odds of this happening are astronomical.

According to Google search results (edited for possible relevance): (1.) In Native American lore, the butterfly was the symbol of transformation, the caterpillar changing into the beautiful butterfly… (5.) According to Native Mythology, the butterfly represents the four stages of development. (6.) They represent freedom, growth and rebirth... (7.) In certain cultures,...they represent stages of life, change, transition... (9.) ...it is a sign of good fortune (10.) A butterfly landing on a person is a quite rare occurrence, and is said to bring good luck, or inspire faith or happiness. I was only days away from moving to Los Angles when the 1987 photograph was taken. ~ Trabue Gentry

A piece of jewelry I created and gave to Amanda. ~ Trabue gentry

Lakeland Gloom | England Photo by Joshua Smith