Butterfly’s Paradise
CLIENT: Neighbourhood Love | october 2020 | ~8’ x 7’ | dulux exterior latex paint
This cool coloured scene depicts a swallowtail butterfly's paradise - a garden of wildflowers. This mural was painted for Neighbourhood Love, a public art initiative that transformed a negative story into a positive one, producing 25 murals by 20 artists for the community of South Etobicoke. You can read more about the project here and even go on your own mural tour.
As an artist you don't always get the chance to be a part of something bigger than your own private practice. So when I heard about the story of Neighbourhood Love as a response to a bullying incident, it sparked something deep inside me, and I was reminded of the importance of community and freedom to express one's self. I believe that together we are stronger and painting as a team of artists for one cause can be especially powerful. Art can be extremely meaningful not only for ourselves as artists, but for the people that get to interact with it on a daily basis. And I am starting to realize this more and more as I continue painting in the public and community art world. The magic of art is truly unlimited.
FUN FACTS
Black swallowtail butterflies can be found throughout Ontario and southern Canada all the way to northern Mexico. These elegant winged creatures and their caterpillar selves are big fans of plants in the carrot family, which include dill, fennel, parsley, carrots, celery, and my personal favourite of the bunch: Queen Anne's Lace. There you have it: magical inspiration.
These butterflies are swift flyers with short life cycles: 4-10 days as an egg, 3-4 weeks as a caterpillar, 10-20 days as a chrysalis, and 6-14 days as an adult butterfly, totalling an average of 41-72 days.
*This mural can be found on a garage in South Etobicoke. #5 on this mural map.
Thanks to our key project sponsors Steps Initiative RBC Street ARToronto and to Dulux Canada for generously donating paint to make this project happen. Special thanks to Bell Box Murals Project and the The Queensway BIA for joining forces to make South Etobicoke’s love visible in a big way! Shout out to the wonderful people Arts Etobicoke, Mural Routes and Lakeshore Arts for providing supplies and support.