Until I took this photograph, I’d never even thought about the shape of a caterpillar’s feet. Hanging on to bracken, the tiny pink feet punctuate the greens in the fronds.

Image Structure

The image is divided into three segments by the two main stems of the frond. This places the pink feet on the vertical stem as the focal point. The caterpillar itself is hidden, although clues to its identity are there in the brown and black hairs. Brown is also found on the leaves. This limited colour palette makes the image stronger.

Image as Metaphor

I chose ‘Hanging On’ for today’s image because it is reflective of how I’m feeling tonight. Regardless of the structure of the image, the thing which affects me most is the act of clinging on. This is true in many senses. The environment surrounding me is not green at the moment, it is very dry and brown. There does appear to be fewer butterflies and birds this year because there is little for them to eat. We are all waiting for rain.

Personally, I’m facing another health challenge. I know I have a strong grip and I’m hanging on tight. However, sometimes I feel like the caterpillar – that people just focus on parts of me. Even while I know this is not true, vulnerability is part of the human condition.

The Caterpillar in the Photograph

For those interested, this is the photograph of the other side of the bracken frond. I can’t identify the exact species of caterpillar, but it may be part of the ARCTIIDAE family. They are commonly referred to as “wooly bears”.

If you enjoyed reading this, you can see more in the 100 Days of Art series here.