Jane E. Hall - The Art of Embroidered Butterflies

First, special thanks to Neil for his encouragement and support in all my artistic endeavours. Thanks to my parents, also, for their abiding love and support, and a sincere thank you to Clive Farrell, mentor and butterfly friend, for sharing his butterfly knowledge, regaling me with butterfly stories and generously allowing me to roam as free as a butterfly about his gardens, sketching, photographing and waxing lyrical. I also extend my thanks to Clive for patiently reading through my manuscript and alerting me to any lepidopteral faux pas! I have been fortunate to meet many worthies in the field of lepidoptery (often quite literally!) to whom I owe a debt of gratitude, meeting with me, as they have, with enthusiasm and encouragement in my pursuit of butterflies. In particular, I would like to thank David Dunbar for schooling me in the ways of butterflies and sharing many happy and fruitful butterfly expeditions with Neil and me. For the sheer inspiration of his scientific study and successful re-introduction of the Large Blue, I would also like to thank Professor Jeremy Thomas.

Thank you to Isabelle and Gary Marsh for magical days at their home in Umbria chasing butterflies, and to Stella and Brian Smith for happy times in gentle pursuit of butterflies in sunny France.

I gratefully acknowledge the team at Search Press, especially Katie Sparkes, Juan Hayward and Roz Dace, who have worked with me closely in accomplishing this book. Thank you also to Roddy Paine and Gavin Sawyer for their patient, professional skill in photographing my work.

Many thanks to Rob Bull for his continued skill and patience in framing and presenting my work, and particular thanks also to Sadie Harrison, the owner of Sunrise.

Finally, special thanks to Janice, my sister-in-law: an inspiration as true as the most beautiful of butterflies, and to Rupert, for the little book of gold.

Gone are the days of our Victorian ancestors who amassed vast collections of butterflies; mounted dead specimens which, one may argue, provided valuable scientific insight, but to me they seem like nothing more than sad, fading shells compared with the glorious living, flying, dancing creatures themselves. I think in part that these old-style collectors (aurelians, as they were called) longed to somehow possess the fragile and fascinating beauties they beheld. Today, this yearning is largely assuaged by photography, painting and, yes, embroidery. However, in respect of the art and embroidery of Jane E. Hall, any preconceived idea of this skill set will be challenged.

To me, encountering Janes artwork was a revelation, as it will be to many who pick up this book. Her profound love of butterflies and phenomenal skill as an artist and embroiderer will surely inspire many, though perhaps few will come close to achieving such artistry as Jane, a world leader in this specialised area.

It is said that wonder is the beginning of philosophy and Janes art will surely inspire the reader to look more closely, wonder and think. If enough of us do this it will lead to further and better understanding of the butterfly world and, ultimately, on to vital conservation of habitat before even more species are lost forever and we are condemned to mourn the loss of some of the most beautiful creatures on earth.

I have entrusted Jane with live butterfly pupae, enabling her to observe how they hatch and dry their wings in readiness to take flight. She has wandered in my wild flower meadows, woodlands and tropical greenhouses, camera and sketchbook in hand, but mainly using those extraordinary gifted eyes. All this I can feel pulsing through the book.

On one level this book will be a joy to possess and browse through, allowing the imagination to roam. On another level it is a unique and meticulous guide to the application of the artistic techniques involved. Jane never dictates, she just explains how she achieves things artistically and gently encourages the reader to take his or her own path.