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Dance of the Honey Bee
Copper yellow, sunshine buzz, Black antennae, in a rush, Alighting on a coloured bloom, Always hurried, lots to do: Tongue-tubed nectar, pollen cakes, Resined trees, are all it takes To please the hive-mind, and embrace The natural order of the bees. Soldiers, workers, queen, it seems Their lives are managed with such ease. Compound eyes to track the world, Ocelli notice light and dark, Thorax, waist and abdomen Pulsating honey, warning striped; A sting to ward off enemies; A sacrifice to save the hive. A cleaner, nurse, a guard and then, Fly high and dance the flower’s scent, Wide-ranging miles, unerring course, Relay the news in pheromones, It seems the Queen controls the hive, But what a life: one mating flight, Then bound to lay until one day A younger queen usurps her role And takes the fittest off to swarm: New colony, more honeyed cells More wax-topped eggs, more selfless roles. But death awaits for threadbare wings, For useless males, for surplus queens And so the mantra of the hive Continues buzzing day and night. |
About This Piece
I couldn't believe this painting started with chilli peppers - I was flicking through a gardening magazine when a bunch of shiny, red chilli peppers caught my eye. I tore out the photo and suck it onto a board. Getting out my paint, the tracked lines and gold swirls echoed a kind of time lapse photograph of the honey bee's flight. The diamond prints are formed with the lid of a pencil led container!
I used to work at a bee education centre and the more I discovered about bees, the more fascinated I became. Bees see the world very differently to us. The drops of violet colour in the picture echoes the ultra violet spectrum the bees can see that signposts the way to the flower pollen, and the strong tonal contrasts and flickered marks in this painting refer to the bees many-faceted eyes. As well as the two large eyes on the side of their heads, bees have an extra three 'eyes' called ocelli on the top to detect the sun's light for navigation. The queen always has a management committee with her to service her needs, and although it looks like the queen is in control of the hive, there is some debate as to how much is dictated by this team.
Original Painting
This original painting is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist. It is framed and ready to hang on your wall. The size of the painting given above does not include the extra dimensions of the frame.
I know it can be difficult to decide if a painting will look right in your room. Apps like WallApp can help you upload an image of your room so you can see what the painting will look in your home. In addition, you can rest assured that if you change your mind within 7 days of receiving the piece, you can return it for a full refund excluding postage. Delivery is available worldwide and the painting is securely packaged for transit. The price of the painting does not include shipping; once you have reserved the piece with payment I will contact you directly to discuss your delivery needs at a time that suits you.
Care: As with any indoor artwork, keep out of direct sunlight,
Any Questions?
If you would like any more information about this piece just let me know. You can email me here: CONTACT NICKI.
Original Painting
This original painting is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist. It is framed and ready to hang on your wall. The size of the painting given above does not include the extra dimensions of the frame.
I know it can be difficult to decide if a painting will look right in your room. Apps like WallApp can help you upload an image of your room so you can see what the painting will look in your home. In addition, you can rest assured that if you change your mind within 7 days of receiving the piece, you can return it for a full refund excluding postage. Delivery is available worldwide and the painting is securely packaged for transit. The price of the painting does not include shipping; once you have reserved the piece with payment I will contact you directly to discuss your delivery needs at a time that suits you.
Care: As with any indoor artwork, keep out of direct sunlight,
Any Questions?
If you would like any more information about this piece just let me know. You can email me here: CONTACT NICKI.
