Psyche
Psyche, n. - mind, soul, butterfly.
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Butterflies - fragile and short lived, compelled to fly tremendous distances, they undergo repeated transformations throughout their lives. They are reborn through metamorphosis, emerging from the chrysalis a transformed creature, a thing of wonder.
Dazzling but camouflaged, they are rarely seen by those who do not pay attention. Those who do, discover tiny often overlooked details revealing beauty in unexplained places.
Many survive only weeks as adults. Those that live longer pay a price: their jewel-like wings become tattered and faded with age.
Delicate yet resilient, the butterfly overcomes many obstacles in its short life - migration, pupation, weather, and searching for the resources needed to live.
Like butterflies, human emotions are subject to external forces. The feeling may be joyful, sad, lonely or hopeful, and it speaks to the butterfly’s cycle of life.
Butterfly specimens, documented, pinned and preserved are a pale reminder of their former glory. The body is preserved and yet something is lost. Like the memory of a lost loved one or friend, these specimens cannot compare to the living, breathing thing. Still, the image and the memory bring comfort and hope to those who remain.
This body of work is dedicated to those fighting depression, those who have won, those who have been lost, and those who are trying to cope with that loss.
Psyche is a collection of machine embroidered butterflies - begun in 2010 - many of which are shown here in the textile art photo gallery. The Psyche collection are pinned and framed in a series of frames.