Butterfly: Sacred Transformation

Jody Stewart-Keller, Butterfly: Sacred Transformation, 1993, stitched and woven glass beads, Austrian lead crystal beads, and sterling silver, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist in memory of her great-great grandmother, Annie Crippen, Ojibwa, 1996.95
Jody Stewart-Keller, Butterfly: Sacred Transformation, 1993, stitched and woven glass beads, Austrian lead crystal beads, and sterling silver, 16 x 9 3⁄4 x 1⁄4 in. (40.6 x 24.8 x .6 cm) irregular, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist in memory of her great-great grandmother, Annie Crippen, Ojibwa, 1996.95

Artwork Details

Title
Butterfly: Sacred Transformation
Artist
Date
1993
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
16 x 9 3⁄4 x 1⁄4 in. (40.6 x 24.8 x .6 cm) irregular
Credit Line
Gift of the artist in memory of her great-great grandmother, Annie Crippen, Ojibwa
Mediums
Mediums Description
stitched and woven glass beads, Austrian lead crystal beads, and sterling silver
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — insect — butterfly
Object Number
1996.95
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1996.95

Artwork Description

In Butterfly: Sacred Transformation, Jody Stewart-Keller weaves together “tiny dots of color” using glass beads to create a miniature mosaic butterfly. The color of butterflies comes from light reflecting off the tiny scales that line their wings, and Stewart-Keller incorporates a variety of beads, including luster, opaque, silver-lined, and transparent, to achieve the same effect. The title refers to the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly, which, in many cultures, signifies spiritual rebirth.

Works by this artist (2 items)

Jody Stewart-Keller, Hummingbird, The Passive Warrior, Amulet Pouch, 1996, stitched and woven glass beads, Austrian crystal beads, jade beads, and sterling silver, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist in memory of her great-great-grandmother, Annie Crippin, Ojibwa, 1997.110
Hummingbird, The Passive Warrior, Amulet Pouch
Artist
Date1996
stitched and woven glass beads, Austrian crystal beads, jade beads, and sterling silver
Not on view
Jody Stewart-Keller, Butterfly: Sacred Transformation, 1993, stitched and woven glass beads, Austrian lead crystal beads, and sterling silver, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist in memory of her great-great grandmother, Annie Crippen, Ojibwa, 1996.95
Butterfly: Sacred Transformation
Artist
Date1993
stitched and woven glass beads, Austrian lead crystal beads, and sterling silver
Not on view