Virginia Reisner
"Bye Bye Butterflies"
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| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
I grew up on the northwest side of Chicago. Behind our house was a small wooded area and at the end of our block was a rather large prairie. The path to school was between the woods and the prairie.
When walking to school or playing in that prairie, I would see many beautiful winged creatures flying around. These, I discovered, were butterflies. They were all different sizes and colors. As kids, we would try to catch them, admire them, and let them fly away.
Things changed when a super highway was built through the area. Gone were the woods, the prairie and most importantly, the butterflies.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. As more and more habitats are replaced by buildings and roads, fewer and fewer butterflies can be seen. Unless we do something to actively attract these beautiful creatures, they may soon be gone.
My mask is a tribute to all these winged beauties - past, present, and hopefully, future.