Courtesy of the artist, Zinc Contemporary, and Taymour Grahne.
Black Butterflies for John - is a painting inspired by my brother, John. He lives in Asheville, NC and writes country music as well as some screenplays and a novel. We talk a lot about the creative process. I am totally jealous of anyone who can play a guitar. The black swallowtail butterflies are common in upstate NY. They have come to symbolize, for me, something beautiful coming out of darkness. In this image, I am bringing John his favourite green baseball cap, filled with black swallowtail butterflies. John had had a lot of pain in his life and I was thinking about how art comes from pain and, also, just hoping for happier times for my brother. The swallowtails on the lamp are mating, so buyer beware, more black butterflies are coming.