Caroline Belanger
The Lamplighter Effect, 2020
Mixed media on canvas, in acrylic box
48 x 60 x 3.75 in.
(121.9 x 101.6 x 9.5 cm)

This project was born out of an idea to make a collaborative art piece with all the students to sell at the school’s annual auction fundraiser.  The theme: One Earth, One Lamplighter.  The iconic symbol for this event: the butterfly. The symbolism may or may not be obvious, but to be clear – the butterfly has been granted deep meaning by nearly all civilizations and spiritual traditions on Earth. Butterflies signify life and personal transformation.  Nothing could be more apropos for describing your child’s experience at Lamplighter.  The concept formed: a swarm, or rather kaleidoscope, of butterflies taking off into the great unknown.

I began by studying butterfly migrations and how butterflies swarm. At times, butterflies flutter with seemingly random purpose, or swarm together for warmth, or quite boldly take off on their own. I wanted this piece to illustrate the nascent stages of the Pre-K years all the way through to the 4th grade seniors ready to break off on their own, full of color, confidence, and determination.  All the while, remaining delicate and connected as they circle through life.  It’s the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change can result in large differences in a later state: The Lamplighter Effect.

Exhibited:
One Earth, One Lamplighter. Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, TX, February 2020.