Title: The Broken Butterfly

Materials: Acrylic on Canvas

Size: 10" x 20"

Date: 2001

*Collection of Linda Chen

A flutter of orange brushed by my legs as I stood on the pier. The monarch with the broken wing collapsed onto the cement, then picked itself up and flew towards the sun, over the water. Then it fell again. Repeatedly it would pick itself up out of the water, fly as far as it could towards the unseen far shore of the lake, then drop with exhaustion. I watched it until I could no longer make it out amidst the rolling water. Watching its determination despite the inevitable was at once heartbreaking and inspiring; and in this broken butterfly's spirited journey, I saw my sisters.'