Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly and Turtle Dove 

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2022
Acrylic 

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Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly and Turtle Dove are acrylic paintings which show these endangered species embedded with imagery of the most prominent threats to their survival.  The population of the Small Tortoiseshell butterfly has decreased by 75% since the 1970s (Butterfly Conservation, 2018). Air pollution obscures the scent of flowers, making it more difficult for pollinators to find them and reducing pollination rates by up to 31%. The burning of fossil fuels, transportation and intensive farming all cause harmful emissions. Large areas of the butterfly’s larval food, stinging nettles, are destroyed for agricultural and industrial use. The Turtle Dove population has declined by 93% since the 1970s (British Trust for Ornithology, 2016). The biggest threats to their survival are the loss of suitable habitat (woodlands) and subsequent food shortages due to intensive agriculture, as well as unsustainable levels of hunting. 

Imagery related to each of these threats is ‘hidden’ within the portrait of the relevant animal. At first glance they appear to be nothing more than realistic paintings of a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly and a Turtle Dove, but once the viewer notices one of the pictures ‘hidden’ inside the main image, they begin to look for others. The paintings are accompanied by text which references each threat included in the paintings. This creates intrigue and encourages engagement with the work.