The website of Rebecca Coles reads something like a well-curated Pinterest page until you realize you are looking at the meticulously crafted work of a highly skilled artist. Unless you’ve been to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, you’ve never seen such beautiful clusters of intertwining wings.
The majority of Coles’ work and the root of her inspiration traces back to the butterfly and the unique beauty it lends to nature. The UK-based artist has transformed this wild and rare creature into something that you can admire within the confines of your own home. Her large installations consist of hundreds, if not thousands (depending on how much you are commissioning), of intricate butterfly silhouettes all hand cut out of paper.
“It’s quite a surreal realization when I hear myself saying ‘I cut out paper for a living’” Said coles in an interview.
Her collections vary in media, though most works are groups of elaborate little insects made of newspaper, stamps, magazines, or wallpaper. Coles has a background in textile and fashion design so her creativity extends beyond the average pair of scissors and printer paper. Fortunately, her works are a lot lighter than your average bronze sculpture or 40×60 canvas.
If you’re a fan of Damien Hirst’s circular butterfly series but were looking for something a little more three-dimensional (or monetarily attainable), check out Coles’ piece “Stamps 140” at the Mark Jason Gallery booth at The Affordable Art Fair September 10-13th.
Click here for more information on visiting the fair or purchasing one of Coles’ works.
All images courtesy of the artist’s website.
