A classic symbol of transformation, this work has a simple composition with a striking and bold contrast. Set against a soft lilac background, the delicate yet powerful form of a butterfly wing is built up of countless layers of translucent and opaque oil paints in order to give it depth and invite you to look closer. It might seem trite but to me, the butterfly has always been a symbol of my personal growth and transformation. The first time I heard that a pupa goes through a phase of total annihilation before it becomes a butterfly, it gave me strength and hope for better days ahead. I’ve been there a few times in my life and it never gets easier. But at least now, knowing I’ll bloom again one day, I can be easier on myself when I’m in those sticky periods of transformation. Created for Gallery Unbound’s International Women’s Day exhibition, Freedom Reigns, this piece speaks to the ongoing journey of strength, freedom, and equality for women and femme people. It embodies the patience required for transformation—the necessity of retreat, protection, and the eventual readiness to spread one’s wings once more.