MIXED MEDIA

JOURNEY was created for The Fairy Tale Project, a collaborative exhibit presented by Piedmont Opera at the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem in February 2015. Children from across the Piedmont Triad entered a fairy tale writing contest and local artists created artwork based on one of the 22 winning entries.

I chose Margaret Whitworth's wonderful fairy tale about a girl named Marie, her sick sister and a boy named Pedro who takes her to Mexico to find a special cure :

Butterfly Journey

Three sisters go out one summer afternoon to pick flowers. The youngest sister, May, eats some Milkweed and gets sick. Her oldest sister, Margaret, carries her home while the middle sister, Marie, sets out for the forest to look for a cure. On her way, she finds a butterfly named Pedro who speaks to her. He tells her that her sister will only get well if Marie becomes a butterfly and travels with him to Mexico to bring back a special nectar that will cure her.

Meanwhile, back at home Margaret and May realize that Marie is missing. Just then there is a knock at the door. Margaret opens the door and finds a Mexican flower peddler there. She offers them some flowers and tells them that May will only get better if Margaret catches a monarch butterfly and brings it to May. Margaret sets out to find a butterfly.

Marie, in butterfly form, accompanies Pedro to Mexico in search of the nectar. Along the way they encounter many dangers: wasps, a volcano and frost. They find the nectar and fly back home where Margaret catches them. Margaret brings the two butterflies back to the house and they fly to May’s lips and give her the nectar. As soon as she drinks it, May becomes well and Marie and Pedro both turn into humans. The Mexican woman realizes that Pedro is her long lost son. They all live happily ever after.

By Margaret Whitworth

The Patina Series is the result of extensive experimentation with the visual effect of chemical patinas on metal coatings and diverse metal objects (coins, hardware, mesh, etc.) Oxide Variations also incorporates bas-relief techniques.

Yarn painting inspired by Julio Cortázar´s Rayuela

IN MEMORY OF MY MOTHER

WHOSE DEEP, PLAYFUL, GENTLE SPIRIT
NEVER LEFT MY SIDE

Knowing shadows

you chose light

Yet in defeat, you'd rather fight

Knowing grief

you chose cheer

You'd have laughter over tears

and still

You'd always rather cry

than ban all fears

and let your soul die

Cristalina y profunda, sabia y cándida a la vez

te dejabas sorprender por la vida

Tan sensible como fuerte

Preferías la risa al llanto

Y llorar a no sentir

Me diste tanto más que la vida

tan madre como hermana y amiga

A vivir con confianza

A morir sin temor

me enseñaste

Supiste de penas y sombras profundas,

escogiste la luz

Sabías escuchar

Sabías querer

Querías saber

Sabías vivir

Gozabas a carcajadas

entre niños y paletas de limón

Sufrías callada

Partiste tranquila

mas no te fuiste

Siempre travieso y fiero

tu espíritu surgió de la sombra del duelo

intacto y liviano

Tan alegre como eterno, retornó

me acompaña

paso a paso

día a día

año a año

vida a vida

About the chosen materials: She escaped the dark veil of grief, into the light. She was happiest among flowers, transformed their nectar into energy in the honeycomb of her soul. Mail connected us across oceans. Old photographs evoke her memories.