I created this piece following our house fire, once we were able to return living in our home.  It was a meditative practice, bringing awareness to my increased sense of empathy for those who have experienced this kind of loss, and widening my compassion for others, as well as reminding me to practice it towards myself (it was my encaustic wax that started the fire).  As I observed the many pods that were "in the flow" as they glided over the roots, I was especially drawn to the blue ones, which signified the growth and openness that comes with experiencing vulnerability to our core.  Often it is through difficult experiences that we are challenged to find our strength and courage and perseverance. 

 This sculpture is a wall hanging, and was created as part of my work for the invitational group show of encaustic artists at the Mary Rezny Gallery, titled "Turn Up the Heat" (ironically), which exhibited late winter, 2016.  This large encaustic sculpture was created using macro photography of the Common Morpho Butterfly, hand-cut, carved, colored, and sculpted into a multitude of pods, nestled into the branches of a root system displaced by a flood.   The outer wings of the Common Morpho show the protective "eye" shape on the butterfly, and once the wings are open, they reveal the brillian cerulean blue, much like what can be experienced when we go to our deepest selves.