This black swallowtail caterpillar mandala art card is digitally printed using archival pigment inks on silky, bright white, acid-free paper. The print quality is truly something to see; the paper is truly something to feel—super smooth, not slick, and takes gel, ballpoint, and other inks well. Folded card is 5.25" by 5.25" and comes with a beautifully made, bright white envelope. The photograph I used to create this mandala art is printed on the back of the card with the photo location and a little story.

The card and envelope are packaged together in a plastic sleeve and mailed in a stiffened mailer. Note: one or two cards are shipped USPS First Class without tracking. Three or more cards are shipped via the most economical means, which usually includes tracking.

Framing. This swallowtail caterpillar art card is created using high-quality materials, such as might be used in a museum. The print is sharp, bright, and frameable. To protect the vibrancy of the artwork, I frame using UV glass or acrylic, and I recommend it. If you use plain glass or acrylic, make sure you hang this sweet, little piece and all your beautiful art away from direct sunlight.

About the Art. The digital collage on this card, titled Camouflage, was created from this photo of a black swallowtail caterpillar taken in my gardens on Pleasant Hill, near Brookhaven, West Virginia. Plants in the carrot family, including dill, parsley, and native golden Alexanders, host black swallowtail caterpillars. The plant in the photo is an ammi, a biennial garden flower.

In the photo I used to create Camouflage, the fully grown caterpillar is dangling with back arched in the J shape indicative of impending transformation into a chrysalis. In the finished piece, the perspective is flipped so the caterpillars (there are sixteen now) appear to be reaching up to the sky, transfixed by the magic of the moon. My intention was to show them sweetly yearning for the sky, ready to transform and fly. I’ve intentionally kept the colors soft and subdued, hiding the caterpillars in the strange green glow of an entirely new world.