THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT

Metamorphosis: From Trees to Paper

2009-04-01T21:27:00.008-05:00

"Metamorphosis: From Trees to Paper" highlights one of Dallas County's most important industries...forest products. Sponsored by International Paper Company's Riverdale Mill, the theme focuses on the three R's of "Renew, Reuse and Respect." Artist Karen Weir painted the outside wings to look like a leaf. The inside wings display paper products.

The Blue Butterfly

2009-03-18T15:17:00.007-05:00

Visitors to the Vaughan-Smitherman Museum on Union Street are greeted by this royal blue butterfly sponsored by Vaughan Regional Medical Center. It's located at the museum, because the building once housed the old Vaughan Hospital. You can read more about the building's history at Selma, Ala. Daily Photo.

Artist Sally Jordan painted medical scenes depicting caring, hence the name of this butterfly, "Caring."

Bubbling Flame

2009-03-02T22:32:00.009-06:00

A flame of sorts stands in front of the National Voting Rights Museum on Water Avenue. It's the "Bubbling Flame" Butterfly painted by artist Thula Ndebele and sponsored by the Rev. Jackson Family. The museum will be sponsoring the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee this weekend. The event which annually draws thousands of people, features speakers, dinners, meetings, arts and crafts, music and of course, the Sunday bridge crossing to commemorate the Voting Rights Movement and the march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.

Pilgrimage Includes the Butterflies

2009-02-20T20:29:00.011-06:00

The butterfly sculptures will be an added attraction to Selma's Historic Pilgrimage this March.

They are still in flight throughout the town's historic districts, so if you haven't taken a tour of them yet, do so during Pilgrimage! The Butterfly Flight Path maps are available in several places, including the Visitor Center at the Library, Centre for Commerce and The Frame Shoppe on Broad Street.

Pilgrimage is March 20-22 and features a variety of tours that vary in price from $5 to $30. Groups of 8 or more can benefit from a discount Day Tour that only costs $20, but the tickets must be purchased by March 16. The package includes three antebellum homes, three museums, an 1860's gristmill, 1860's Foundry, First Presbyterian Church, antique show and sale and two art shows...Selma Art Guild and Arts Revive juried show.

Check out the Pilgrimage website for more information.

Emmanuel

2009-02-15T03:37:00.008-06:00

The bold strokes used by artist Bill Smith lend extra inspiration to the corner of Dallas Avenue and Church Street. The "Emmanuel" butterfly sculpture is sponsored by Church Street United Methodist Church.

The base of this butterfly is just as beautiful as its wings. The sculpture depicts symbols of Christianity through Emmanuel (God with Us).

Heather

2009-02-06T10:25:00.007-06:00

"Heather" flutters quietly in Bienville Park on the bank of the Alabama River. Her polka dots and stripes are the creation of artist Heather Cole, and her sponsor is Gene Hisel.

The back of "Heather's" wings surprise the viewer with a patriotic appeal.
"God Bless America: Land of the Free and Home of the Brave!"

The Circle of Life Butterfly

2009-01-31T08:23:00.008-06:00

Big cats, colorful birds, flowers and coconut trees are just a few of the things that make this butterfly go "Wow!"

Artists are Nate Brown and fifth graders at Knox and Payne elementary schools.

The butterfly is located in front of Brown Chapel AME Church on Martin Luther King Street.
Another view of this butterfly can be found at the Selma, Ala., Daily Photo.

Fuller Building Supply Butterfly

2009-01-27T12:22:00.008-06:00

Beneath the black and orange wings of the Fuller Building Supply butterfly sculpture is...
Bob the Builder?
He's totin' a hammer and pliers and is ready to have "Fun with a Nail Gun." That's the theme painted and decorated by artist Teresa Cammack. Below is a view from above the wings, and note the house over which it flies.

Selma's Butterfly Calendar (May 2009)

2008-12-13T08:34:00.006-06:00

The Butterfly calendars have arrived!

Here's an inside peek at the May 2009 butterfly, "Love, Hope & Peace," painted by Cindy Stoudenmire and sponsored by Randy and Gail Lovelady, Town & Country Realty and CRL Construction. This butterfly is located in front of the fountain on Broad Street between City Hall and the library.

Each month for 2009 features a patron-sponsored butterfly, and the cover and January 2010 show small pictures of the other three dozen butterfly sculptures. What's extra neat are calendar entries for arts and cultural events throughout next year. Want to know when Spring Pilgrimage will be? It's in this calendar. What are the dates for the Selma art walks? You've got it!

The calendars are $15 and available at The Frame Shoppe on Broad Street. Proceeds go to the Dallas County Arts Alliance for future projects.

Mal-Lark

2008-11-19T11:07:00.008-06:00

The Old Depot Museum has the distinction of hosting two butterfly sculptures.
This one is Mal-Lark, sponsored by Clark Elementary School. Its artists are LaFawnda Watson and Gavontae Sanders.

The red museum makes a great background for this butterfly, don't you think?

Ah, along the base of the butterfly are some of the students outside Clark Elementary School! I know they are proud of it.

Here we have the Edmund Pettus Bridge, which as you can see, is well traveled. If you drive U.S. Highway 80 through downtown, you will cross the bridge on your way in or out.

Tranquility

2008-11-08T20:44:00.011-06:00

"Tranquility" perches at the foot of Lafayette Park and is the first butterfly sculpture that was unveiled in October. Its artist is Nate Brown who employed more than paint on this exquisite masterpiece.

Below, click to enlarge, and you can see that the butterfly isn't painted on.

The wings depict our area's tranquil, rural countryside and forests. Whitetail deer are abundant in these parts.

Below, this butterfly overlooks the Alabama River.

A special thank you to "Alabama's Front Porches" website and blog for citing "The Butterfly Project" and the "Selma, Ala., Daily Photo."

Windham's Whimsy

2008-11-06T20:46:00.006-06:00

Here's Windham's Whimsy, the folk-art butterfly painted by noted artist Charlie Lucas.
A tribute to Selma author and storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham, ghosts and southern superstitions are the theme of this sculpture. It's easy to find at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge at the corner of Broad Street and Water Avenue.

Dog (Cats) & Butterfly

2008-10-25T11:41:00.006-05:00

I love the colors and whimsy in this butterfly painted by Laura Grossman for The Frame Shoppe. It's nice that the dogs and cats are friendly with each other!
To see a closeup of one of the cats, head on over to the Selma, Ala. Daily Photo. (You can also click on the picture for a larger view.)

The Stained-Glass Window Butterfly

2008-10-19T05:00:00.001-05:00

"Reflections of Love & Peace"
Artist: Sandy Greene
Sponsor: St. Paul's Episcopal Church
The theme of this butterfly is based on the splendid stained-glass windows in this church, some of which were designed by Clara Weaver Parrish, who was a Selmian, artist and designer at Tiffany & Co.

(Scroll down to view closeups of this magnificent butterfly sculpture.)

Click on Selma, Ala. Daily Photo to see a view of the butterfly
at the base of the church tower.

Meadowville Mallieve

2008-10-18T11:14:00.007-05:00

Students at Meadowview Elementary School decorated and sponsored one of the butterflies at the Old Depot Museum.
This one is "Meadowville Mallieve," named in honor
of "Madame Butterfly" Mallieve Breeding.
A class act, I'd say!

Butterfly Flight Path

2008-10-13T22:03:00.010-05:00

Take a tour of Selma's Butterfly Project.
Just click on the map for a larger version, print and go!

We Believe We Can Fly!

2008-10-13T07:28:00.018-05:00

Several Selma and Dallas County schools sponsored butterflies, and all are so creative!
This one, "We Believe we Can Fly," not only uses colorful paints but school supplies...scissors and rulers...and if you look closely at the bottom, pencils.

("We Believe We Can Fly" is located in Heritage Park on McLeod Avenue between Mabry Street and Union Street. In the background is Sturdivant Hall.)

Above, the alphabet dances across the butterfly wings.

Here is Teacher Butterfly...looks like she has been teaching for a long time!

And here is the real teacher and some of the Cedar Park Elementary artists.
Kudos to Cedar Park!

To view the butterfly unveiling and Queen city Swallowtail, check out
Selma, Ala. Daily Photo.

SELMA: Taking Flight to Greater Heights

2008-10-09T22:29:00.001-05:00

The butterflies have taken flight in Selma!

WOW! After months of work, 45 butterfly sculptures were unveiled Thursday in Selma's historic districts.
And who doesn't like butterflies...? Such an inspiration!
This butterfly above is dedicated to Mallieve Breeding, our town's beloved "Madame Butterfly." She started the effort more than 25 years ago to save Selma's butterflies. She and other garden club members noticed a decrease in our butterfly population and set about teaching everybody from school children to property owners how to bring them back.
In 1982, our town was declared the Butterfly Capital of Alabama. The butterfly is also Selma's mascot and has a place on the city seal.

This butterfly sculpture is sponsored by First Presbyterian Church and features dogwood blossoms and favorite Bible verses of Mrs. Breeding. On the base is a depiction of the town clock, set for 9:30 a.m., the beginning of Sunday School.

Artists are Elizabeth Gilmer, Kelly Pomeroy and the First Presbyterian youth group.

There was a big crowd, above, at the butterfly unveiling ceremony in Lafayette Park.

"Madame Butterfly" (Mrs. Mallieve Breeding), above,is recognized at the Grand Butterfly Unveiling ceremony.

The project is entirely local and sponsored by the Dallas County Arts Alliance in coordination with 45 sponsors and more than 40 local artists and art groups. The wooden sculptures were made by master craftsman Nico Giampietro of Selma.
(To see a photo of the first unveiling, check my
Selma, Ala,Daily Photo blog.)