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
Copied 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
Keywords
  • 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.