Butterfly Hurricanes

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The artwork of The Butterfly Hurricanes Project contemplates global and local issues through the lexicon of abstraction. This body of work is inspired by the historical roots of abstraction, where mystical and spiritual meaning was thought to be best expressed through the language of non-objectivity (artists such as Helen Frankenthaler, Lee Krasner, Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Kline and others). Each artwork focuses on a specific issue, imbedding information and meaning through a process that begins with realistic imagery (or symbols) related to the specific topic, then translates these images using overlapping blind contour drawings. The bright and saturated colors reflect my desire to suffuse positive energy toward addressing problems where solutions often seem overwhelmingly insurmountable. Scientist Edward Lorenz originated the phrase, 'Butterfly Hurricanes'. In 1961 he discovered that small changes at one place in a system could result in exponentially larger changes throughout the system. Lorenz developed the concept of "a hurricane's formation being contingent on whether or not a distant butterfly had flapped its wings several weeks before". This phrase expresses the idea that individual action has ripple effects with the power to affect the lives of many others. During the process of making this work I've become more aware of my own complicities in our shared human predicaments, and have learned additional avenues in becoming an active participant in positive change. It's my hope that The Butterfly Hurricanes Project will continue to be inspirational, informational and transformative – converting the energy of art into compassionate, actionable involvement.