A Box of Chocolates: The Butterfly Project

I have an invitation for you and I really, really, really hope you will join in and spread the word. I received an invite to be a part of this amazing project a few days back and I am really excited. The Holocaust Museum Houston in Texas is hosting this project. The museum is dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust, remembering the 6 million Jewish people and other innocent people who died and honouring those who survived. They teach the dangers of hatred, prejudice and apathy, using the lessons learned from this and other genocides. The web page reads Stop Hate. Starting Here. That interests me.

Did you know that approximately 1,500,000 CHILDREN, INNOCENT CHILDREN, perished as a result of the Holocaust!!!!!! The museum is collecting 1,500,000 butterflies in memory of every child lost. In Spring 2013 these butterflies will then become a breath-taking exhibition to serve as a memory of this event and those children.

Can you imagine 1,500,000 children lost transformed into 1.5million butterflies. The project is based on the following poem, written by Pavel Friedman on June 4, 1942. He was born in Prague in 1921, transported to the Terezin Concentration Camp on April 26, 1942. He died in Aushchwitz on September 29, 1944. He was 23. I want to cry right now, this poor boy.

I Never Saw Another Butterfly

The last, the very last,

So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone....
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ’way up high.
It went away I’m sure
because it wished
to kiss the world good-bye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here, in the ghetto.
Written by Pavel Friedman, June 4, 1942

Drop in to Suzi Blu's to see her amazing butterfly and then please, PLEASE, please, make a butterfly with me, whatever and however you want to. Remember one of these poor children lost to us forever.

HOW TO DO IT:

Send your butterfly to the museum by June 30, 2012

with your name,

organization or school, address,

email address

and the total number of butterflies you send.

Create and have fun creating as many butterflies as you like, be creative, really let your creative energy go with this, let's make beautiful butterflies for these beautiful children. Then post to......

Holocaust Museum Houston

c/o Butterfly Project

Education Department

5401 Caroline St.

Houston, TX 77004

Follow these simple instructions so your beautiful butterfly can be eligible:

•Butterflies should be no larger than 8 inches by 10 inches.

•Butterflies may be of any medium the artist chooses, but two-dimensional submissions are preferred.
•Glitter and all glitter-related products should not be used.
•Food products (cereal, macaroni, candy, marshmallows or other perishables) also should not be used.

For your interest visit these sites.

Two Dresses Studio

Trudie is collecting butterflies sent to her and photographing them to show on her blog, this is an option for you if you want to join in. She has a wonderful catalogue of butterflies sent to her already.

The Butterfly Project

Please let me know if you are going to participate and please show us your butterflies. And spread the word.

Elle of course is one of my inspirations to participate and of course Lucas her beautiful brother who is one the children I will be thinking of and crying for as I make my butterflies. I would like to do 3 one for me and one for Elle and Lucas.