Caterpillar Girl

Caterpillar Girl is the most collage-inspired artwork in the collection. I began my artistic journey as a collage artist, and this piece pays homage to that early practice. I’ve always loved autumn, especially the way fallen leaves curl and layer on the ground, often forming shapes that remind me of faces and characters. That idea became the starting point for this artwork.

I wanted to create a densely populated scene filled with characters, woven amongst leaves and winding, organic, layered forms. Four knights and two fairy boys are subtly blended into the background, while Caterpillar Girl herself sits at the top centre, most clearly visible. She has fairy wings and ten legs, five of which can be seen. She rests atop a mass of collaged leaves, tree-like forms, and flowers.

The composition was central to this piece. It began with a symmetrical structure, divided into four mirrored sections, and then evolved as I layered more forms over the top. I wanted the piece to deliver a punch of pink, balanced by a blue-green central shape, with intricate details that reward a second glance.

For the colour, I used a personal method: starting with a wide range of vibrant tones, I gradually removed hues to create a more blended, tonal effect. Only the areas I wanted to draw attention to remain in saturated colour.

The body of the artwork is constructed through a mix of deconstructed forms and fully realised ones, woven through or placed on top—ornate boots, knights, shields, butterflies, chess pieces, caterpillars, and fairies.

At its core, this piece is about change and metamorphosis. Although I call the central figure Caterpillar Girl, she began as a fairy. She ultimately serves as a metaphor for my own creative evolution. I studied Graphic Design at university, then later explored impressionist-inspired painting and collage. Now, I’m a blend of all those approaches and more.