Why the Peppered Moth?
For a while, there was a fairly common moth called the "peppered" moth. It was white with black and grey speckles, which camouflaged it perfectly against the bark of trees. Then, in the early 1800s, the Industrial Revolution happened. Extremely quickly, the trees were dyed black from the smoke and soot that filled the air. Peppered moths were suddenly being predated in droves, since they now stood out starkly against the light grey trees. Natural selection (brought about by unnatural events, in this case) caused the darker moths to survive. Before too long, nearly all of the peppered moths were black with a few light speckles.
The peppered moth is one of the most referenced examples of evolution that we have, and I thought about it a lot in March of 2020, when I carved this print. I thought about how quickly they had to change as a species to survive. Of course, the peppered moths didn't make any choices about survival- they just went about their little moth lives and let genetics do its thing over a few generations. Regardless, to me, the story of the peppered moth represents adaptation, resiliency, and strength, especially in the face of circumstances outside of your control.
The mushrooms represent rebirth- something new and beautiful, fueled by decay and hardship.
Ferns are widely regarded as symbols of determination and new beginnings. As I see them, ferns are ancient. As vascular, seedless plants, they developed before all of the flowers and trees we know today. They rest during every winter and unfurl again every spring. They are survivors.
Needless to say, the Peppered Moth print means a lot to me. In my mind, it represents a universal struggle. It certainly doesn't celebrate the tragedy that was (and is) COVID 19, but it does quietly acknowledge and appreciate the growth and change that happened as a result. Even in the wake of loss, it is my hope that we are all a little wiser, a little stronger, and a little more resilient than we were in 2020. Here's to us. Here's to you. 🌱
