WORSHIP — Attraction, Obsession, And The Creative Process
The Emperor moth is one of the largest moth species native to Europe, recognised for its striking eye-like wing patterns and brief adult lifespan. Unlike many insects associated with constant movement and activity, the adult Emperor moth exists for only a short period of time, driven almost entirely by instinct: to seek, to find, to move toward attraction and purpose before its life ends.
That instinct became the starting point for WORSHIP.
I’ve always been fascinated by the way moths are drawn toward light — repeatedly returning to it despite the danger it can represent. There’s something strangely devotional about the behaviour, almost ritualistic. While creating this painting, I realised I connected deeply with that idea myself. The need to create work, improve constantly, and remain consumed by the process can feel equally instinctive. At times it becomes difficult to separate passion from obsession.
WORSHIP grew out of that connection.
WORSHIP | 2026 | Acrylic on Canvas | 20 × 20cm
The Symbolism Of The Moth
Throughout history, moths have carried symbolic associations with transformation, vulnerability, intuition, and attraction. In WORSHIP, however, the moth became something more personal — a reflection of devotion toward creative practice itself.
The central circular form behind the moth was intentionally left ambiguous. It can be interpreted as the sun, the moon, a halo, or simply a source of light. What mattered more was the idea of pursuit. The moth presses toward it completely, almost reverently, as though consumed by the need to reach it.
That relationship mirrors the creative process in many ways. Making artwork often involves repetition, frustration, experimentation, and sacrifice, yet the drive to continue creating remains. Even when exhausting, there is still a constant pull back toward the work itself.
Rather than painting creativity as something peaceful or romanticised, WORSHIP explores it as something consuming — chaotic at times, but impossible to ignore.
Constructing The Painting
The process behind the piece reflected this tension between control and disorder.
I began by painting the Emperor moth first, focusing heavily on detail, symmetry, and colour relationships across the wings. Because the moth would remain the emotional and visual centre of the painting, I wanted it to feel deliberate and highly controlled against the more expressive elements surrounding it.
Once completed, the moth was protected using masking tape so the background could be approached far more freely. This changed the energy of the painting completely. The careful structure of the moth allowed me to become more instinctive elsewhere across the canvas.
The circular motif was layered into the background early on to establish the source of light and create a stronger sense of focus within the composition. Around it, abstract shapes, fragmented colours, and gestural marks were gradually built up to create movement and atmosphere.
Toward the later stages of the process, I introduced paint splatters and looser mark-making across the surface. These areas became some of the most important parts of the final painting because they captured the unpredictability of creating itself. The drips, splashes, and interruptions weren’t mistakes to remove — they represented the disorder, frustration, and intensity that exist behind finished artwork but are rarely visible once a piece is complete.
Why WORSHIP Matters To Me
This painting feels deeply tied to my relationship with art as both practice and compulsion. It reflects the difficulty of stepping away from creating, even when the process becomes overwhelming or all-consuming.
Like the moth returning endlessly toward light, there is always another idea to chase, another painting to resolve, another attempt to push the work further.
In that sense, WORSHIP is less about the moth itself and more about the mindset behind making art.
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