I Watch. I Wait. And Then—They Arrive.
Every year, as winter fades and spring begins its slow and steady return, I find myself in the same place—watching, waiting, anticipating.
There’s a shift in the air, something unspoken but deeply felt. The cold loosens its grip, the earth softens, and then, in what feels like an instant, life begins again. It starts with the milkweed. Tiny green shoots push through the soil, determined and resilient. I’ve spent years cultivating them, protecting them from the elements, because I know what’s coming.
And then, one day, the moment arrives.
A single butterfly flutters into view—hovering, inspecting, knowing. And then another. And another. Until suddenly, the air is alive with movement, with color, with a silent but undeniable force of nature.
They don’t hesitate. They don’t question whether they belong. They simply gather.
That moment—that connection—is what I set out to capture in “The Gathering.”
Breathing Life Into the Unseen
Art is never just about putting color on paper. It’s about translating something deeper, something that can’t always be captured in words. For me, that meant more than just drawing butterflies—it meant creating a feeling.
Using Faber-Castell colored pencils on Stonehenge Aqua Cold Press paper, I let the piece unfold. The texture of the paper allowed me to build layer upon layer of detail—the soft veins of a wing, the delicate twist of a milkweed pod, the shadows that give depth to a fleeting moment.
I didn’t just work from imagination. I pulled from real life—my own garden, my own experience, and a collection of references from incredible photographers who have also seen and captured this magic. Kathysg, Miller26tl, Nancy Stevens, and Roland Cardenas on Pixabay all contributed to the visual inspiration that shaped this piece.
But this artwork isn’t just about butterflies.
It’s about movement. It’s about transformation. It’s about trust—the kind of trust that nature has in itself, the kind of trust that we often struggle with as humans.
Because while we may hesitate, overthink, and second-guess ourselves, nature never does. It simply is.
The butterflies don’t ask for permission to exist. They don’t worry about whether they’re ready, or if the timing is right. They just arrive, knowing they’re exactly where they need to be.
There’s something to be learned in that.
More Than Just a Painting—It’s a Message
When I finished The Gathering, I sat with it for a while. I wanted to make sure it didn’t just look beautiful—I wanted it to feel like something.
I realized that this piece, at its core, is about connection.
It’s about the way nature gathers, the way life comes together in these perfect, fleeting moments. It’s about recognizing those moments when they happen—whether it’s in the natural world or in our own lives.
And maybe most of all, it’s about finding comfort in the inevitability of transformation.
The butterflies don’t resist change. They don’t hold onto their cocoons. They become.
And so do we.
An Invitation to Gather
If The Gathering speaks to you, if you see yourself in its quiet transformation, I invite you to bring it into your space.
This isn’t just a painting—it’s an invitation. A reminder that growth is inevitable, that beauty finds its way back, and that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves.
I’ve created The Gathering Collection—a selection of prints and products inspired by this piece—so that this message can live beyond the canvas. Whether you’re a nature lover, a conservationist, an art collector, or simply someone who feels drawn to the symbolism of renewal, I hope this collection resonates with you.
Find your piece here: 👉 The Gathering Collection
Let this be a season of renewal. A season of trust. A season of gathering.
See you there.
— Tracey
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