the loneliness of the transatlantic courier

Cut-paper collage postcard created for the Kollage Kit theme: "Flight."

Caterpillar by Maria Sibylla Merian. Oceanscape by Vija Celmins. Wings are from photos of three sweat bees.

Maria Sibylla Merian was an amazing person who did something very unusual for a woman of the 17th century. She traveled to Dutch Guiana in 1699, by herself, to do entomology research. After months in the field doing meticulous observations and spectacular artwork depicting what she saw, she proved, for the 1st time, the phases of metamorphosis from caterpillar to moth/butterfly. This is my second collage using her art: here's the first one.

You're going to have to tell me what's in the leather valise. =smile=