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THE BUTTERFLIES
Butterflies have since become an integral part of my series—and for good reason: they have been used
in fine art for centuries with an emphasis on their beauty and symbolic meanings. Butterflies can
represent everything from spiritual rebirth and evolution, to new beginnings and change, among so
many other interpretations. Similar to how we all start with humble beginnings, the caterpillar starts
small, working its way through the mess of life. We all start the same—small caterpillars that transform
into unique and beautiful creatures. While researching butterflies for this series, I discovered thousands
of butterfly species and varieties, making my selections for the series even more difficult. I wanted the
butterflies to literally explode off of their canvas, so rather than choosing based on geography, I selected
the various species based on their colors. Over 50 different butterflies were featured throughout this
series, each one hand-digitized stitch-by-stitch to create the most realistic look possible. The entirely
embroidered butterflies are then stitched out and mounted at varying heights off of each work, creating
truly dimensional results.