Rare and Endangered Butterfly Species Recreated in Glass by Laura Hart
-“My fascination with nature’s unparalleled artistry and diversity is equally limitless, inspiring me to create my glass butterfly and moth sculptures. The meticulous detailing is driven by a desire to represent these endangered and rare creatures as vibrant living organisms; beautiful, precious and delicate.
Future works featuring the butterflies in the upcoming, ‘Studies in natural habitat,’ are in development; including collaborations with some of the most talented glass blowers and hot sculptors in the UK.
The ‘Life Study,’ sculptures are unique and will not be repeated. With many species of butterfly and moth teetering on the brink of existence in our ever-decreasing world, I create only one of each species or sub-species, their uniqueness and fragility accentuating the real threat of extinction these glorious creatures face due to human activity.
Each study specimen is painstakingly recreated to emulate its natural counterpart. The wings are created by fusing glass in several stages and the bodies are cast in glass using the lost wax process and pate de verre techniques. The breast plate, legs, antennae and proboscis are fashioned from sterling silver to create anatomical detail.”
Glass artist Laura Hart uses a range of techniques to translate her love of plants and animals into meticulously crafted sculptures. For her “Butterflies” series, the artist has recreated rare species and subspecies from around the world with bright colors and symmetrical designs that perfectly mimic their natural muses. Never recreating the same species twice, Hart casts the bodies of her one-of-a-kind insects using the lost wax molding and pate de verre kiln casting processes. Each delicate sculpture is around 18cm wide.
A glass fusing method is used to make the realistic wings in stages, with intense hues and translucent sections outlined in black. The sections form tiny stained glass windows, altering the light that passes through and reflecting onto the tables and display stands. Sterling silver pieces are added to complete the sculptures, forming the legs, antennae, and proboscides of the colorful creatures.
Olga Bejuà / 2020 ART D&F Magazine
Design & Fashion Magazine 