Drift Away by James Jankowiak
James "Casper" Jankowiak's #FlightOfButterflies sculpture, Drift away, explores both symmetry and color. James draws on his love for nature, and melds his background as both an artist and a musician into eye-catching installations.
You can see the purples, teals, and yellows of Drift Away in person in Brighton Park! This is just one of the many beautiful #FlightOfButterflies pieces located across Chicago Park District Natural Areas. Head to our site to learn more about James and all of the Flight Of Butterflies artists! https://bit.ly/4dorJV8
Air & Water
☁️ Looking for a different kind of air & water show? From high-flying butterflies to water-loving turtles, we've got your nature needs covered! Join us every day from 10am to 4pm. Fly over to our site to start planning your visit. https://naturemuseum.org/
Due to increased activity on the lakefront, parking may be limited, so we recommend walking, biking, or taking public transit for your weekend visit.
Aquí los vemos un día by Luis De La Torre
If you've visited Humboldt Park recently, you may have noticed Luis De La Torre's #FlightOfButterflies sculpture, Aquí los vemos un día.
Luis explains, "My butterfly design is a reflection of the Mexican-American community, embodying our indigenous, European, and American roots. It merges ancient myths with urban realities, portraying the richness of our cultural identity. Each image I incorporated serves as a witness to our diverse heritage and current realities. Through this design, I aim to celebrate the complexity and beauty of being Mexican American, weaving together the threads of our past and present into a vibrant tapestry of identity."
Be sure to stop by Humboldt Park to see this beautiful piece in person. Head to tour website for more details on Luis De La Torre's work and the rest of the featured Flight Of Butterflies artists. https://bit.ly/4dorJV8
🌍🐍 Celebrate World Snake Day with the Nature Museum by learning about our conservation efforts for the Smooth Greensnake! 🐍🌿
These small, emerald-colored snakes are native to the prairies of Northeastern Illinois, but their habitat is under threat. That’s why Dr. Allison and her dedicated team are working to protect them. This time of year, their eggs are getting ready to hatch as shown in this timelapse!
Our conservation efforts include:
🔍 Monitoring existing populations to learn about their threats and conservation needs
🌱 Surveying potential habitats
🐣 Incubating and hatching eggs to give young snakes a head start
✴️ Supplementing small populations
🌾 Reintroducing snakes into restored grassland locations
👩⚕️Conducting surveillance for snake fungal disease
Our team has hatched and released over 1,400 juvenile Smooth Greensnakes back into the wild since 2017, and we have found evidence of snakes nesting successfully in our reintroduction sites.
By closely monitoring these snakes, we’ve even discovered that they have a unique nesting association with Citronella ants, which help provide the ideal conditions for egg survival.
Join us in celebrating these incredible creatures and the vital work being done to ensure their future. 🌿💚 #WorldSnakeDay #Conservation #SmoothGreensnake
Wrapped Butterfly by Maria Burundarena
🩶 Wrapped Butterfly, by artist Maria Burundarena, reflects the light and beauty of the world around it, while also protecting the butterfly underneath with a special second skin. To achieve this effect, and this moment of interruption and amazement, Maria wrapped her butterfly with emergency blankets.
In Maria's own words, "Silver emergency blankets wrap the butterfly, protecting it from the elements, as well as serving as a cocoon in a period of transition. Blankets used in emergency situations to wrap migrants. Sheltering these magical beings who are as gorgeous as they are fragile. Offering a chance to shine their beauty onto the world."
Soon this beautiful sculpture will take flight and travel from the #NatureMuseum grounds to Rainbow Park at 7500 S South Shore Dr. Be sure to stop by the museum to see this piece and the rest of the #FlightOfButterflies sculptures before they disperse across the city to Chicago Park District Natural Areas next week! Get the details here: https://bit.ly/4dorJV8
Love is Love by Negwes White
Negwes White is a Chicago-based artist who enjoys sharing his Indigenous culture and its values with the world. “Love is love,” characterized by its striking neon colors, embodies this mission.
“The colors I chose symbolize the beauty nature uses for eternity. The brilliant artist, Creator, is constantly demonstrating for us, alongside Mother Earth, that we are part of a whole. A circle, always transforming, like a butterfly.” 🦋
Experience “Love is Love” now in person at the Nature Museum or at Hegewisch Marsh starting the week of July 15! Learn more about Flight of Butterflies locations, and the artists behind them, at the link in our bio.
Wanderlust by Mayumi Lake
If you've visited Water Tower Place recently, you've probably had the chance to see Mayumi Lake's beautiful butterfly in person. "Wanderlust" highlights both traditional designs and modern technologies, including digitally scanned flowers lifted from kimonos.
In Mayumi's words, "This butterfly sculpture is inspired by ancient Japanese Gagaku costumes and the Earth's magnetic field, which guides migrating butterflies. In our dreams, one may soar gracefully, yet upon waking, uncertainty clouds the mind. Is the dreamer separate from the dream's flight? In this surreal realm, reality merges with illusion; we journey through time and the world, echoing the themes of Zhuangzi's Dream of the Butterfly."
Stop by the Magnificent Mile to see this stunning piece for yourself, and head to our website to learn more about Mayumi's work, as well as the rest of the #FlightOfButterflies sculptures! https://bit.ly/4dorJV8
Additional footage courtesy of Mayumi Lake.
The Spiral by Ravi Arupa
The stunning artwork of The Spiral can be found by the north side of the #NatureMuseum. Created by Red Line Service led by artist Ravi Arupa, this #FlightOfButterflies sculpture highlights how we are all connected.
In Ravi's words, "From the perspective of the infinite universe, our galaxy is a microcosm. It rotates into a spiral that extends into infinity. The spiral is thus inherent in nature, as seen in the evolution of the butterfly from caterpillar to pupa. If you study nature closely, you will find the spiral in a seahorse, an embryo, a spider's web, and a sunflower. Here, I am representing the way the spiral connects everyone and everything, from dense galaxies to delicate butterflies."
Experience this beautiful piece, and the rest of the Flight of Butterflies sculptures, in person! Learn more about their locations, and the artists behind them, on our website: https://bit.ly/4dorJV8
❄️ What makes each snowflake unique? ❄️
Snowflakes are formed in the clouds when water vapor freezes into ice crystals. The process is affected by temperature and humidity.
Here's why snowflakes are unique:
Different Paths in the Clouds: Snowflakes take different paths as they move through the clouds. Some may pass through areas with more moisture, while others may encounter slightly warmer or colder regions. These variations create differences in the way the ice crystals form.
Different Growth Conditions: As a snowflake travels through the cloud, it encounters different conditions for growth. Factors like temperature, humidity, and the presence of water droplets all influence how the ice crystals develop. This leads to variations in the size and shape of the snowflakes.
Unique Journey to the Ground: Each snowflake takes a unique journey from the cloud to the ground. Some snowflakes may collide and stick together, while others may remain separate. The way they interact with each other and the air on their way down contributes to their individuality.
So, just like no two fingerprints are exactly alike, no two snowflakes are exactly the same because each one experiences a slightly different journey through the clouds, encountering unique conditions along the way. It's nature's way of creating beautiful and one-of-a-kind snowflakes!
