Winged Hope

It was a perfect meeting of mind and mission. Cheshire Pollinator Pathway's Speaker Series in May featured author Wendy Williams, the author of "The Language of Butterflies." At the same time, Cheshire Creation Care members, First Congregational Church of Cheshire,

and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church teamed up with environmental advocate, Kathryn

Frund to create a butterfly themed art installation for Earth Day fittingly titled "Winged Hope."

Kathryn is a well known and respected multidisciplinary artist from Cheshire whose installations pose questions about the complex relationships between nature and humanity.

The art project included all ages, from young children to teens, parents, grandparents and seniors. It was a perfect lead-in to the author presentation. It would be a way to draw attention to moths and butterflies, creatures that not only provide beauty but are among “the little things that run the world” for their critical role in our ecology and are in dire need of conservation efforts.

www.kathrynfrund.com

On Sunday, April 19, children from the two church schools worked together on

components of two wall murals depicting moths and butterflies. This was followed by a

multigenerational crafting session which produced three large collages made entirely

from repurposed materials. Silk mobiles from old scarves was a third component of the

project. Cheshire Pollinator Pathway also enjoyed the crafting sessions.

The wall hangings were displayed at First Congregational Church in the Parish

Hall and the butterfly scarf mobiles were beautifully suspended from churchyard trees, where they fluttered in the breezes.

May 11th talk by Wendy Williams was well-attended with visitors from many towns throughout the state. After the presentation, the Winged Hope butterfly mobile artwork moved to St.

Peter’s Episcopal Church, and is currently on display at the Cheshire Pollinator Pathway gardens at West Main.

We hope you have a chance to stop by and enjoy this artwork at our gardens, and also give thought to these tiny creatures who make up 90 percent of Earth's species. They are the foundational basis for Life on Earth.