My Viking Dragonfly Story
04 April, 2026 1 comments Leave a comment
Over many decades, my husband and I have toured every province and territory of Canada, and the island of Newfoundland remains one of our favourite destinations. An unexpected encounter there would later inspire three very meaningful paintings.
My dragonfly journey began in 2007, when we visited Newfoundland for the first time. We camped there for two months, exploring all of its beautiful regions.
I wrote about this fantastic holiday here and we knew we would go back some day to experience more of this magical island.
A dozen years later, we returned to The Rock for a three month tour. During that trip, we encountered lovely people and beautiful scenery everywhere. I highlighted the most memorable photos, videos, and travel stories from that summer in these posts:
A Whale of a Tale in Newfoundland
Seeing Caribou and Moose in Newfoundland
Now comes the Viking dragonfly part. During both summers, we made a point of visiting the Viking Settlement at L'Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site on the northern tip of the province.
Discovered in 1960, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, this archaeological gem is the first and only known site established by Vikings in North America and the earliest evidence of European settlement in the New World.
Professional actors (authentically costumed as Vikings) serve as historical interpreters, showing and telling visitors about life at the settlement 1000 years ago.
In 2019, just after we enjoyed this immersive experience, we were walking on a boardwalk over the bog, and I noticed this gorgeous dragonfly on our path.
It was the largest specimen I ever had seen, with brilliant blue dots and dashes along its body. This exquisite creature stayed obligingly still while I took several close-up photos. I knew they would make excellent painting references one day.
That day came last summer, during our Airstream travels. I decided to create a small painting of a pebble beach.
I sketched a still life scene showing smooth stones from my pebble collection, nestled together between a few large boulders. One of those boulders became the dragonfly's perch.
When finished, I titled the painting A Place of Rest (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel). A collector of my work in Georgia, USA, acquired the piece for her home.
When I announced this happy news on Facebook, one of my followers commented "My favourite is gone..." so I asked if she would like me to make a similar painting for her.
She said yes, so I created a new version of the scene, and she acquired it in celebration of her milestone birthday. The second painting was titled Rocky Repose (varnished watercolour on 10 x 10 inch panel).
I thoroughly enjoyed making these two small paintings of my dragonfly and the subject kept speaking to me even after these pieces had left my studio.
Apparently, my dragonfly wasn't done with me yet. It deserved to be explored in a grander scale, so this winter I lovingly and meticulously crafted a third version in a more impactful size. I had to add new details to fill the larger spaces, inserting more stones and changing shapes and markings of others.
Pictured above is a collage of all three paintings showing their relative sizes. The two earlier pieces are on the right, and Love Changes Everything (varnished watercolour on 24 x 24 inch panel) is shown on the left.
As I reflected on why this subject continued to call me back, I began researching the deeper symbolism of dragonflies.
I discovered that they are revered as omens of good fortune in many cultures. These delicate, winged creatures are regarded as messengers of change or guides to new beginnings, and can represent loved ones who are no longer with us.
The title Love Changes Everything captures this symbolism and also is the title of a famous 1988 song by Honeymoon Suite, a Canadian pop metal band.
I hope you have enjoyed the tale of how a chance encounter with a dragonfly in Newfoundland evolved into three very special paintings. I’ve learned to pay attention when a subject keeps calling me back - because sometimes it’s leading me somewhere meaningful.
For more information about Love Changes Everything, click here.
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Another beautiful picture and a great description of how it was inspired. I have purchased Watercolour Toolbox” which is a huge help. I also share it with fellow artists in Sioux Narrows.