I bet you missed the butterflies. They're not gone; I've got a few fish frying.
There aren't many details in this painting. It makes you focus on the way the sections of the muscles of the hand are similar to the sections in the butterfly's wings. The painting is not mamal vs. insect but rather living thing and living thing. The butterfly is depicted fully, while the human is only represented by the hand and forearm. The butterfly is more of a character, in a way, than the person is, more of an individual; it has a face. Maybe the hand could be the Hand of God with a radiant, holy gold color. It has a monumental feel. The background has a leaf-like shape to it, echoing the form of the butterfly's wings. The subject's large scale, bold color, and focus on nature relates to O'Keefe.
I'm getting more studio time now that the holidays are over. Back to frying fish (no more cookies, thank goodness).
