In the beginning …

That metallic flash that you see above the water’s surface during your riverside walk or even at your garden pond is probably a dragonfly. They are one of Earth’s oldest creatures, pre-dating the dinosaurs! They are also one of our speediest and most agile insects with amazing manoeuvrability, able to fly forwards, backwards, from side to side and up and down. Truly fascinating.

I was asked recently how I came to make my mixed media shadow box frames and why dragonflies feature. I’d say that the qualities I’ve just mentioned make them well worthy.

In 2019 I found myself at the kitchen table with some beads and a few pieces of wire in front of me. The beads had come from a couple of old necklaces that I’d been given (top left of the collage) and I was eager to explore my own creativity to see what might result.

I have always been intrigued by dragonflies. They have a huge range of types and colours. So I picked out some beads and managed to make my first dragonfly (top right in the collage). I finished it with wings cut from an old greeting card and was mightily pleased with myself!

Beaded Beasties was born

I gathered more beads, some new and some from charity shop jewellery purchases. Eagerly, I set about making more dragonflies; those in the bottom sections of the collage were amongst the first results. I had also bought a few shadow box frames.

In my making frenzy however, I had not thought about the size of some of the beads, specifically those used for the insects’ thorax, and the pair on the left wouldn’t fit inside the box frame’s depth! Lesson 1 learned. I sourced deeper frames and created homes for those chunkier dragonflies.

Dragonfly symbolism

Dragonflies have great symbolism in many cultures. They represent transformation and rebirth: strength, courage and happiness: wisdom and resilience: good fortune, hope and they’re a sign of love.

In Ancient Japan, Samurai warriors regarded the dragonfly as a symbol of power, agility and victory. The insect was also sacred to many Native American peoples. Even the Ancient Egyptians made amulets in their form.

Its life cycle, beginning as a nymph in water and then transforming into a flying adult: its speed and agility: and its fierce yet fragile nature all contribute to these symbolic attributes.

I’d say that these qualities alone make it more than a suitable subject for my mixed media artworks and I greatly enjoy creating each one.  Each is unique and has its own story. I hope you will want to discover their stories too.

Derrick

I am the creator of mixed media beaded artworks featuring dragonflies and other insects, larger creatures with themes of nature, folklore and mythology. I also produce colourful digital art prints and cards. You can see the whole range in my shop.