Butterflies, Friendship and a Magical Mess
Some paintings start with inspiration.
Others start with a spark.
This one started with…
me sitting at my friend’s kitchen table, surrounded by paints, snacks, and the exact kind of laughter that should be bottled and sold as medicine.
We decided — very confidently, I might add — that we were going to paint something “easy.”
Something “whimsical.”
Something that would make us feel like serene woodland fairies floating through an enchanted meadow.
Naturally, we chose dragonflies.
Because they’re delicate, breezy, and effortless.
You know… the polar opposite of what we are when we get together.
We spread out the supplies, looked at each other, and said the most dangerous words two grown women armed with paintbrushes can say:
“Let’s try this! How hard can it be?”
Famous last words.
Painting With a Friend Is a Whole Thing
There is a sacred, unspoken joy in painting with someone who knows your heart.
The kind where:
Your water cup becomes mysteriously gritty
Your palette slowly turns into a questionable color soup
And you both have conversations that toggle between deep, ridiculous, emotional, and spiritual — sometimes all in one sentence
There’s just something healing about sitting across from someone who shares your passion, knows your kind of crazy and still wants to paint dragonflies with you.
And Then There Were These Dragonflies…
I saw a similar painting online and thought, “Oh I can totally recreate that.”
I still don’t know who the original artist is — but my deepest gratitude to that mystery genius.
This is my sparkly, splattery, heartfelt rendition.
What started as “light and whimsical” quickly turned into two dragonflies with attitude.
Like:
One looks like she’s the responsible sister — on time, hair brushed, emotionally stable.
The other?
She’s the friend who shows up late with great stories, iced coffee, and eyeliner that may or may not match.
They look like they’ve been through something together — because they have.
They’ve survived windy days, questionable decisions, and now… being painted by us.
Honestly, they’re basically us.
Add in a Few Wild Dragonfly Facts…
Because you deserve fun trivia to impress strangers:
Dragonflies have been around for a very long time, which means they survived meteors, dinosaurs, and low-rise jeans.
They can fly in any direction and hover like tiny helicopters — much like women who walk into chaos and somehow create order.
They see nearly 360 degrees, including their past mistakes and future snacks.
One dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes a day, making them the unsung heroes of summer barbecues.
Bless them.
The Real Magic Happened at That Table
Somewhere between the glitter washes, splatter dots, random gold accents, and giggles, I realized something:
This painting isn’t just about dragonflies.
It’s about friendship.
The kind that sits with you.
Creates with you.
Listens to your heart.
And stays, even when your art starts looking like jambalaya.
It’s about the beauty of being with someone who makes you feel safe to try.
Safe to fail.
Safe to laugh until you can’t breathe.
Safe to create something imperfect… and love it anyway.
Because life is better when shared.
Color is brighter when shared.
And even the wonkiest dragonfly wings shimmer a little more when painted beside a friend.
So Here’s the Lesson These Two Dragonflies Whispered to Me
You don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
Not in painting.
Not in friendships.
Not in life.
Sometimes the most meaningful moments are the messy, unplanned, paint-splattered ones where you show up just as you are — and someone meets you there with a brush in hand and kindness in their eyes.
And if you’re lucky…
you end up with a dragonfly who looks like she’s judging you,
another who looks like she’s cheering you on,
and a heart that feels a little lighter than it did before.
So tell me —
What’s something you’ve done with a friend that made your life a little sweeter, a little funnier, and a little more colorful?
Because that’s what this painting is really about.
Two dragonflies.
Two friends.
And a moment worth remembering.
