Come to the Calusa Nature Center to see them in person.
Butterfly mania! at Calusa Nature Center
Take a look at all of the beautiful butterflies!
Come to the Calusa Nature Center to see them in person.
Come to the Calusa Nature Center to see them in person.
Newest butterflies to join the swarm
October 31, 2011
I had another donation from an artist living in Indiana recently. Rayna Clark, an artist and soon to be published author sent me three butterflies for the mural. The butterflies came late to the project but when Rayna emailed me and asked if she could participate, I couldn't refuse her!
I installed the butterflies last weekend and grouted them yesterday while I was at the Calusa Nature Center for the center's Friendly Forest event. They are sure to grab the attention of the visitors there.
I had another donation from an artist living in Indiana recently. Rayna Clark, an artist and soon to be published author sent me three butterflies for the mural. The butterflies came late to the project but when Rayna emailed me and asked if she could participate, I couldn't refuse her!
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| © Rayna Clark |
I installed the butterflies last weekend and grouted them yesterday while I was at the Calusa Nature Center for the center's Friendly Forest event. They are sure to grab the attention of the visitors there.
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| © Rayna Clark |
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| © Rayna Clark |
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| © Rayna Clark |
Butterfly crafts inspired by the art installation
I volunteered at the Calusa Nature Center's Friendly Forest event this past weekend.
A commemorative butterfly awaits installation
September 15, 2011
This week Margie, a visitor of the Calusa Nature Center, purchased a commemorative butterfly for a friend that died of cancer recently. She said that she had wanted to do something for her friend but nothing had felt right until she discovered the butterflies.
I created a 5 inch butterfly using mostly pink stained glass with some yellow, blue and white accents...her friend's favorite colors. The name "Lyndell" was added to the wing to identify the commemorative butterfly.
There is plenty of shimmering opalescent glass and blue mirror in there to catch the light and the head of the butterfly is made from a dichroic glass cabochon.
I'll be adding it to the wall soon.
This week Margie, a visitor of the Calusa Nature Center, purchased a commemorative butterfly for a friend that died of cancer recently. She said that she had wanted to do something for her friend but nothing had felt right until she discovered the butterflies.
I created a 5 inch butterfly using mostly pink stained glass with some yellow, blue and white accents...her friend's favorite colors. The name "Lyndell" was added to the wing to identify the commemorative butterfly.
There is plenty of shimmering opalescent glass and blue mirror in there to catch the light and the head of the butterfly is made from a dichroic glass cabochon.
I'll be adding it to the wall soon.
Project Press: News-Press coverage!
September 4, 2011
The Fort Myers News-Press featured the Calusa Nature Center in an article in the Tropicalia section this morning. The story mentions all of the new animals and attractions that the center has (no mention of Buffalo Bill!) and also mentions the new mosaic installation.
We're hoping all of the amazing butterflies will help draw in new visitors and potentially bring in donations that will ultimately help the center care for the animals and add new programs.
The Butterfly Project is still under construction. I have several more butterflies to install and still need to finish the grouting. I also have a new tile sign that I will install later this week that will give visitors more information about the mural.
Once the mural is completely finished I will write a press release and contact the local newspapers in order to bring attention to the collaborative aspect of the project. Even though I have completed all of the installation work, the project would not have been possible without the collaboration of the 90 artists that donated artwork.
I'm hoping to have everything finished by the 15th of September. That means putting in extra time in the next two weeks.
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© Terry Allen Williams/news-press.com |
We're hoping all of the amazing butterflies will help draw in new visitors and potentially bring in donations that will ultimately help the center care for the animals and add new programs.
The Butterfly Project is still under construction. I have several more butterflies to install and still need to finish the grouting. I also have a new tile sign that I will install later this week that will give visitors more information about the mural.
Once the mural is completely finished I will write a press release and contact the local newspapers in order to bring attention to the collaborative aspect of the project. Even though I have completed all of the installation work, the project would not have been possible without the collaboration of the 90 artists that donated artwork.
I'm hoping to have everything finished by the 15th of September. That means putting in extra time in the next two weeks.
(1) Butterfly Donations
July 20, 2011
Some of the mosaic butterflies have started arriving!
For ease of installation, the designs were all created on mosaic mesh. The tesserae is glued directly onto the mesh and then the completed mosaic is sandwiched between cardboard and shipped to me.
Here are some of the first to arrive..(the first one is mine.)
I created the alligator/butterfly combo in honor of my teenage son who volunteers at the Calusa Nature Center.
Artist Robin Indar donated four butterflies created using iridescent tile, thrift store carnival glass and her handmade ceramic tiles.
Artist Amy Woodward donated four butterflies made using colorful venetian glass tile.
Artist Floy Height donated three petite butterflies made from fused glass bits, millefiori and found objects. The fused glass bits were made by artist Teri Sokoloff of Frog Hollow Glass.
Artist Doreen Bell donated this iridescent purple butterfly made with stained glass, millefiori and an assortment of beads, rhinestones and glass shapes. (She loved creating this butterfly so much that she made four more that she will make garden gazing balls with.)
Artist Kathleen McKenna donated four butterflies made with iridescent stained glass and recycled china. Her small blue butterfly shown at the top is made with tiny glass footprint tiles turned outward!
Some of the mosaic butterflies have started arriving!
For ease of installation, the designs were all created on mosaic mesh. The tesserae is glued directly onto the mesh and then the completed mosaic is sandwiched between cardboard and shipped to me.
Here are some of the first to arrive..(the first one is mine.)
I created the alligator/butterfly combo in honor of my teenage son who volunteers at the Calusa Nature Center.
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| Gator-fly © Eve O. |
Artist Robin Indar donated four butterflies created using iridescent tile, thrift store carnival glass and her handmade ceramic tiles.
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| © Robin Indar |
Artist Amy Woodward donated four butterflies made using colorful venetian glass tile.
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| © Amy Woodward |
Artist Floy Height donated three petite butterflies made from fused glass bits, millefiori and found objects. The fused glass bits were made by artist Teri Sokoloff of Frog Hollow Glass.
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| © Floy Height |
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| © Floy Height |
Artist Doreen Bell donated this iridescent purple butterfly made with stained glass, millefiori and an assortment of beads, rhinestones and glass shapes. (She loved creating this butterfly so much that she made four more that she will make garden gazing balls with.)
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| © Doreen Bell |
Artist Kathleen McKenna donated four butterflies made with iridescent stained glass and recycled china. Her small blue butterfly shown at the top is made with tiny glass footprint tiles turned outward!
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| © Kathleen McKenna |
Artist Sherry Moon (top image) donated a pretty purple butterfly made with mottled stained glass, beads and a sea shell body.
Artist Susie Turlington (bottom image) donated the bright orange butterfly with a fused glass body.
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| © Sherry Moon (top), Susie Barry-Turlington (bottom) |
(2) Butterfly donations
July 20, 2011
More butterflies fluttered in this afternoon...
Artist Lynn Dubnicka donated two beautifully made butterflies created using stained glass and glitter tiles.
Artist Katie Waller got together with friends Anne Banton, Pat Spano, Marie Cashion & Coe Chamberlain and threw a mosaic making party!
The group created the following gaggle of butterflies...
And I finished up my second butterfly using stained glass, millefiori, handmade ceramic shards and small dichroic cabs. This will be my second skelly-fly.
(Don't get too creeped out by the idea of a skeleton butterfly, the Mexican culture believes that Monarch butterflies bear the spirits of the departed.)
I've been notified that more butterflies have begun their journey to South Florida, so stay posted for more photos!
More butterflies fluttered in this afternoon...
Artist Lynn Dubnicka donated two beautifully made butterflies created using stained glass and glitter tiles.
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| © Lynn Dubnicka |
Artist Katie Waller got together with friends Anne Banton, Pat Spano, Marie Cashion & Coe Chamberlain and threw a mosaic making party!
The group created the following gaggle of butterflies...
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| © (top left) Anne Banton, (bottom left) Pat Spano, (right) Marie Cashion |
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| © (left) Coe Chamberlain, (right) Pat Spano |
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| © Katie Waller |
And I finished up my second butterfly using stained glass, millefiori, handmade ceramic shards and small dichroic cabs. This will be my second skelly-fly.
(Don't get too creeped out by the idea of a skeleton butterfly, the Mexican culture believes that Monarch butterflies bear the spirits of the departed.)
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| © Eve O. |
I've been notified that more butterflies have begun their journey to South Florida, so stay posted for more photos!
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