The first question I receive about my jewelry and art is how I obtain the materials I use.
“Do you kill them?” seems to be the most common question I hear. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I have trouble killing anything, So, the answer to this is a resounding NO. As a conservationist, I find this notion appalling and would never go out of my way to harm an insect or animal, and especially not for jewelry or to make a profit off of them.
Butterfly and insect farms aide the conservation of rainforests and at-risk ‘developed’ areas because they promote the continued protection of the environment these species depend on. Our expanding population has restricted butterfly habitats, and destroyed them in some areas; these farms educate the public and also help to curb poaching and capture of wild butterflies. The average life span of butterflies ranges from 20-40 days, but some can live up to 6-8 months. When their lives come to a natural end on these farms, they are collected and sold to collectors. Artists are then able to give them new life, and preserve their beauty for years to come.
You might consider this a form of “ethical sourcing.” All of the materials I use (butterfly wings, bones, feathers, etc.) have been sourced safely and without harm to the creatures they originate from, and that is a promise I strive to uphold. So rest easy, friends; I am the farthest thing from a butterfly poacher.