Flutterbys

2014

Kaiser Permanente Hospital, San Leandro CA,
in conjunction with Beth Jones, public art consultant

96′ high exterior courtyard wall

ceramic & glass

Flying thousands of miles at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour and a mile high in
the sky, Monarch butterflies return annually near to the area where the medical
center was built. The artwork suggests that the butterflies stop for a visit at the
hospital, along the way. Having gained strength, they are flying upwards and get
increasingly larger as they leave the hospital and resume their magnificent
adventures. In the western world, the symbol of the butterfly stands for freedom
and ease. A nature-based theme appropriate for a hospital setting, the butterflies
convey a sense of spirituality, calmness, and positivity.

The colors of the interior corridors of the hospital are represented in the
butterflies at each corresponding level.

More about this project from Fireclay Tile: https://www.fireclaytile.com/blog/full/butterfly-mosaic