Wood burned Flower of Life, gold leaf, Swallowtail butterfly, Australian raw opals, resin.

The first of this series. Inspired by my aunt Ilene and uncle Gary who both passed away battling cancer. They owned a garden center in Calverton and Jamesport, Colorful Gardens, where there would always be insects and flowers everywhere. Gary would fish for Lobsters on the Sound. The current owner and my close friend from Australia, Bianca gifted me with this butterfly she found in the greenhouses and a bunch of opals Ilene and Gary had left behind. Ilene would always say "let's be happy while we're here." Those words still ring in my head, I'll never forget. 

Wood-burned Sacred Geometry, gold leaf, Citrine crystals, Bee Hawk Moth, resin. 
 

The idea behind this was to mimic a bee hive, but turn it into a sanctuary of glowing crystals and magical energy. The crystals are cast in bee's wax, hollow, filled with LED lights. Unfortunately, the bees could never sustain in an artificial environment such as this, reflecting on my experience living in New York City, feeling a strong disconnect with the natural world. 

Details shot on a Nikon D7000. 

This piece is meant to accompany Honey Bee Universe. The Bee wings are arranged into the Seed of Life pattern, constructed out of wire, using industrial and artificial material to represent the organic subject matter. 

Shot on a Nikon D7000.