Artists and designers constitute a significant part of the visitors to the Manchester Museum. Here is a report of Sue Flowers, an artist from Green Close Studios in North Lancashire, who has visited us several times, being inspired by the fascinating world of British and foreign Butterflies.
Since working on the Alchemy Enquire project at Manchester Museum in
2008 I have developed a growing fascination with the study of insects as a means of expressing our relationships as humans with all other species within our ecosystem.
Dr Dmitri Logunov’s passion for entomology and the importance of arthropods to biodiversity and the ecosystem has inflamed my desire to further study, draw and understand this special and important aspect of our environment.
My work created during 2010 was an exploration into the aesthetic use of insect imagery (in particular) butterflies, used to represent aspects of personal freedom, mental health and well being. Much of my work is inspired by our connectedness to the planet through our relationship with environment; following a range of work with Mexican artists the pieces ‘Mariposa’ and ‘Tu vida es mi vida’ arrived on my drawing table.
I hope to develop this work further through an ongoing relationship with Manchester Museum but also through the fabulous resource of the Lancaster Butterfly House, managed and run by Lancaster City Council.
During March I will be visiting the Entomology collection at Manchester Museum and will be working for several weeks with 30 Year 4 pupils from Quernmore Primary School exploring how the school can develop the use of their outdoor environment into the curriculum, funded by Curious Minds.
I am based at Green Close in rural North Lancashire www.greenclose.org I also manage and have developed the Bowland Arts Festival which runs from 1st May – 30th June 2011 and uses the arts to celebrate and explore the unique environment and special habitats of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty see www.bowlandarts.co.uk for further information.
Ms Sue Flowers, Green Close Studios, Green Close Barn, Melling, Carnforth, Lancs, LA6 2RB. Tel 015242-21233; www.greenclose.org; sue@greenclose.org
Entomology Manchester 