“Fluttering high above” is how I would describe the Wild Thing Butterfly. This impressive sculpture greets visitors at the Children’s Garden entrance. But how did this beautiful butterfly come to be here?
David Landis approached Alston Glenn. Glenn was the Garden’s Executive Director from 1993 to 2002. Landis wanted to display a sculpture at the Botanical Garden for a temporary show. Coincidentally plans were underway for the new Children’s Garden. Landis decided to submit a proposal for the Butterfly Pavilion. His unique scale model convinced the selection committee. They moved forward with his concept.
Landis’s huge “Butterfly” sculpture has a 12-foot wingspan. It was placed atop the Butterfly Pavilion in the Children’s Garden. The sculpture was built on site. It used square iron beams. Landis created a second “Butterfly.” Its wings were split in half. This formed the door entrance to the Children’s Garden. He chose stainless steel for its reflective properties. It mirrors the sky and surrounding Garden.
In 2015 the Butterfly Pavilion was dismantled. This made way for a newly designed Children’s Garden. But the story of the Wild Thing Butterfly doesn’t end here.
Landis’s “Butterfly” was moved. It now sits atop a high steel pole. It welcomes visitors to the Children’s Garden. Two other “Butterflies” were relocated. They now adorn the entrance wall of the restroom in the Children’s Garden. So the Wild Thing Butterfly and its siblings continue to charm. They remind us of the beauty and wonder of nature.