Open to Wonder
La Porte des Merveilles
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A butterfly's unusual beauty captures my imagination. I see the intricate wing patterns unfolding in my mind's eye, telling a story of transformation. To paint the butterfly, to reveal its minute beauty in extravagant brushstrokes and living color, is to live in wonder and hope. My passion is to create a unique space for the environmental conservation movement: where small things are dignified, where death is surpassed by rebirth, and vulnerability reveals an unexpected strength.
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"Wonder is at the heart of
Heidy Sumei Chuang’s paintings
in collaboration with
the conservation organization A Rocha,
Chuang brilliantly reminds the audience
of our planet’s extravagant vibrance and its
indisputable fragility."
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-Anna A. Friedrich
The Butterfly Project began in April 2017, as an Artist Residency at A Rocha's conservation estate in France, situated in the hills above Nice. The vision of
A Rocha France is to learn from, protect, and educate others in the care of precious ecosystems: more than one thousand acres of grazing scrublands for the local farmers’ sheep, fields of wildflowers, and ancient oak groves.
As I looked over the Mediterranean, I was given new insight into what it means
to care for the earth passionately. My art was infused with a profound respect for the earth’s materials and a love of the natural world. My studio practices significantly shifted from acrylic paints to watercolors, a medium that embraces the flourishing of creation.
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After two months in France, I further developed the images of
the French butterflies and moths through imagination and memory in my studio, all of which will culminate in a series of large-scale works. I believe this to be a special time in history, one in which we can tremendously affect the earth’s restoration. I hope my paintings can be a part of that restoration, opening intrinsic beauty and revealing the
glory of the small.
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“Heidy Sumei Chuang’s lyrical work draws us by the heart into a
world of attentive wonder – still and vibrant. That she gifts this to
A Rocha is deeply moving to all of us around the world.”
© 2023 Heidy Sumei Chuang Inc | Fine Art Watercolor Paintings