Migration
This series can be viewed at Ellen Miller Gallery in Boston from May 3 - June 1.
www.ellenmillergallery.com/exhibitions-…
www.ellenmillergallery.com/artists/hank…
The Migration series began with a simple observation. Where were the swarms of Monarch butterflies that I remember as a child? I missed the creatures that brought with them the warmth and freedom of summer. It’s a question that was answered through quick research. The depletion of natural resources, climate change, and pesticide use has devastated the population over the last 30 years. With this knowledge in mind, I picked up a pencil and began to draw, not knowing exactly where the drawing would take me. After completing the drawings on paper, I envisioned the wings as symmetrical, colorful patterns. Conveniently, at this time, I was handed a round wood panel to create a piece for an art benefit. This experimentation led to a range of mixed media works on wood, incorporating screenprinting, acrylic paint, and ink into the image making.
The series is a sad observational piece and homage to a species that may succumb to extinction without help from the same source that contributes to its loss of habitat. On each round wood panel, the delicate pattern of the butterfly wings repeat to create a symmetrical shape, alluding to shapes found in nature. The monarchs “buzz” around the form, drawn to its life force, symbolizing hope, change, and regeneration.