Lafayette Elementary
This mural was designed to brighten the exterior of the 5th grade classroom at Lafayette Elementary. The classroom is in a large grey portable building, and the PTA wanted something that brought joy and color to the schoolyard. The artwork celebrates the school's mascot, the Lafayette Leopards, and creates a vibrant movement of color that sweeps along the entire building.
This mural was designed to be painted by community members, and over 70 volunteers assisted production. The mural was painted in a record two days, being started and completed Labor Day Weekend, 2024.
Overall size ~8' x 75'
This mural was designed to be painted by community members, and over 70 volunteers assisted production. The mural was painted in a record two days, being started and completed Labor Day Weekend, 2024.
Overall size ~8' x 75'
The True Butterfly Effect
"The flap of a butterfly's wings in one place can cause a tornado in another across the world..."
This is the Butterfly Effect, which is the idea that seemingly small or insignificant things can have a huge impact in unexpected ways. This theory is the inspiration for this project, which seeks to illuminate how every individual plays an important role in the fabric of our society and to rewrite common narratives around creativity and self-worth.
I often find that people associate being creative with their ability to produce something that looks a certain way, defaulting to self-critical and comparative mindsets. It saddens me to hear things like, “I’m not creative,” because everyone inherently is.
This project not only aims to challenge prevalent paradigms around creativity, but also to reframe the conversation altogether, wherein the simple willingness to engage with one’s creativity is the benchmark of success. Furthermore, the project raises awareness around the positive changes we notice in ourselves and the ripple effect on our relationships when we feel creatively empowered and engaged.
More than just a physical installation, the project is an intentional dialogue around self-awareness, creativity, and community.
By being accessible to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and demonstrating how every contribution is equally important, the project aims to uplift Seattle’s community as a whole by inviting participants to consider their individual impact and inspiring them to “Be The Butterfly” in their lives.
Thus far, the project has consisted of several workshops around the Seattle area. The broader vision for the project includes more workshops and events that culminate in large-scale, community driven installations around the city, and ultimately around the world. Read below for more information on workshops to date, and stay tuned for upcoming events.
I often find that people associate being creative with their ability to produce something that looks a certain way, defaulting to self-critical and comparative mindsets. It saddens me to hear things like, “I’m not creative,” because everyone inherently is.
This project not only aims to challenge prevalent paradigms around creativity, but also to reframe the conversation altogether, wherein the simple willingness to engage with one’s creativity is the benchmark of success. Furthermore, the project raises awareness around the positive changes we notice in ourselves and the ripple effect on our relationships when we feel creatively empowered and engaged.
More than just a physical installation, the project is an intentional dialogue around self-awareness, creativity, and community.
By being accessible to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and demonstrating how every contribution is equally important, the project aims to uplift Seattle’s community as a whole by inviting participants to consider their individual impact and inspiring them to “Be The Butterfly” in their lives.
Thus far, the project has consisted of several workshops around the Seattle area. The broader vision for the project includes more workshops and events that culminate in large-scale, community driven installations around the city, and ultimately around the world. Read below for more information on workshops to date, and stay tuned for upcoming events.
Workshop at Slide Gallery
The butterflies are made of aluminum, which makes them sturdy yet pliable enough so that their wings can bend. When the wings are bent back, the butterflies have a dimensional appearance, just like a real butterfly would. They each have a small hole in the middle, which makes installation simple and straightforward with a hammer and nail. To ensure the butterflies stay securely in place, I adhere a small amount of puddy as well.
Here are some photos of a workshop I hosted in March, 2024, for a group of approximately 35 people at Slide Gallery in Belltown. Participants each painted their own butterflies, which were then organized by color and hung together on the wall, as shown above. For this workshop, I primed the butterflies white, and each participant was provided brushes and paint and encouraged to follow their inspiration. While each person created a unique design, the visual impact of the butterflies together resembles a cohesive group that resembles a kaleidoscope of butterflies in nature.
Here are some photos of a workshop I hosted in March, 2024, for a group of approximately 35 people at Slide Gallery in Belltown. Participants each painted their own butterflies, which were then organized by color and hung together on the wall, as shown above. For this workshop, I primed the butterflies white, and each participant was provided brushes and paint and encouraged to follow their inspiration. While each person created a unique design, the visual impact of the butterflies together resembles a cohesive group that resembles a kaleidoscope of butterflies in nature.
Below is a rendering of an installation with several hundred butterflies within a gallery space to help illustrate the vision for this project at a larger scale.
Workshop at Fathom Gallery
In September, 2024, I had the pleasure of being the featured artist at Fathom Gallery, hosted by Fathom Architecture, in Belltown as part of the Belltown Art Walk. In addition to showing my body of studio artworks, I also hosted another butterfly-making workshop. The workshop was similar to the first, yet slightly different in its approach:
For this iteration, I prepared the butterflies with colored spray paint, and invited participants to decorate them with paint pens (rather than painting a blank butterfly from scratch). This approach made the activity more accessible to participants and also helped keep the space clean and organized by minimizing mess. When the butterflies were complete, they were hung using a small pin through the middle, attached to a panel of architectural felt. They are organized by color to create a kaleidoscope of chroma that extends along the wall, resembling the appearance of butterflies in flight.
For this iteration, I prepared the butterflies with colored spray paint, and invited participants to decorate them with paint pens (rather than painting a blank butterfly from scratch). This approach made the activity more accessible to participants and also helped keep the space clean and organized by minimizing mess. When the butterflies were complete, they were hung using a small pin through the middle, attached to a panel of architectural felt. They are organized by color to create a kaleidoscope of chroma that extends along the wall, resembling the appearance of butterflies in flight.
Artist Residency at Seattle Spheres Understory
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"Jibe with the hive and get your creative buzz on!"
During Summer 2023, I participated in an Artist Residency Program at the Seattle Spheres Understory. The purpose of the residency was to design a participatory art project that engaged the community and activated the space. I created a community-driven installation where visitors were invited to create individual wooden hexagons, using markers, pencils, and paint provided on work tables. Over time, the hexagons were installed on various surfaces (using Velcro and double-sided tape) to make a large-scale bee-hive installation, organized by color. Over 8,000 people participated from June through August. Made in partnership with NINE dot ARTS, who handled curation and project management. |
