It seems that with every generation, we lose craftspeople, whether they be jewelers, welders, goldsmiths, harriers, writers, composers, violinists or ballet dancers.
Me? I have little contact with such gifted artists and creative folks. What I do value is my time, real-time in the field, amidst great beauty. Just weeks ago, in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, I stood there, admiring an Erato Heliconian, a Malachite, a Julia Heliconian and a Red-Rimmed butterfly and then a Mexican Bluewing, and a Common Mestra. They are butterflies all of extraordinary beauty.
Yes, the tailors who sewed decades ago are gone, the painters of the Hudson River School and the great Flemish painters and Rembrandt are gone, the men who built the Chrysler building in NYNY are gone, and the jewelers of bygone Tiffany? Gone. Yet I am thankful, for as I shot away at this pair of HolyLand Copper butterflies in Neve Aviv, Israel, I knew that H-s finest works continues on, as it will.
Jeff
Winged Beauty Butterflies 
I was very pleased to read this ‘Comment.’ Yes, I’d love to see it (it would not open here). When I returned from that trip, and had my slides processed . . . I was left with a dilemma = several of my catches of this pair of Coppers were good enough to not discard. Usually I am pleased to keep one of, say, 25 exposures of a worthy look. The dilemma, keep the couple that meet my criteria? I kept them, and so there are several slightly different ones, and for that . . . I am glad. I always appreciate your Comment, and your posting of your own prized work.
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Jeff: I saw your posting today of the Coppers. It reminded me that I had not sent you a photo of the finished painting I did of the two colorful butterflies and that you were so kind to grant me permission to paint them. Thank you. What a joy it was to paint those striking juicy colors on their wings along with the bright yellow flower onto paper. It was also a challenge to get the right values of all those colors to obtain the depth and mood for a striking composition.
I hope that you will be able to open the following attachment of the butterfly.
Lois Mathews
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