Dorte Bistrup: How Many are too Many Butterflies?

I have been creating paper butterflies for my piece entitled “Winged Visitors to the Garden” that will be exhibited at the Blackboard Gallery in Camarillo, CA, on June 7 - July 26. As I attach these butterflies with thin wire to the assemblage of vintage binoculars, metal box, and oak branches, I wonder how many I will need, how will I know when enough is enough. Being a “ maximalist” artist, I always want to keep adding. But there is a point at which adding too much of something can detract from the work. It has always fascinated me that artists have the inherent ability to know when a piece is finished, when a piece can be overwhelmed and “ muddied” by too much. I could probably have added more butterflies, but I’m happy with how it looks now. The leftovers will be used elsewhere.