A butterfly effect is rippling through art to commemorate the deaths of 1.5 million Jewish children during Holocaust.
The Leisure Arts Studio, located in the Student Union, will join the nationwide Butterfly Project on Friday by helping University students to make handcrafted butterflies as part of its Free Art Fridays program. The student-made art will be featured in an exhibit at the Holocaust Museum Houston.
The Butterfly Project was inspired by the poem “I Never Saw a Butterfly,” written by Pavel Friedman, who died in the Holocaust. The project started as an educational exercise for children but spiraled into an exhibit that boasts about 900,000 butterflies from all over the world.
The exhibit’s goal is to collect 1.5 million colorful pieces, each representing a child who died in the Holocaust.
Ira Perry, Holocaust Museum Houston public relations director, said the museum has been collecting butterflies since its opening in 1996. He said the exhibit is expected to open next year.
“The exhibit reminds us that these children, who were no different from anyone else, were treated unfairly.” Perry said.
Tina Ufford, Leisure Arts Studio assistant, said the project will help students to gain a sense of community while allowing them to express themselves.
“Every time we do a Free Arts Friday project, almost everyone comes up with something different,” Ufford said.
The studio has hosted two previous Free Art Friday projects, including crafting Halloween lanterns and making masks for Chinese New Year. The next event will celebrate Mardi Gras and Valentine’s day.
Ufford said the process for making the butterflies is easy and can be done by any student, regardless of artistic ability. She said its takes about 20 minutes to complete one butterfly, and up to 18 students can fit in the studio at one time.
The Butterfly Project will be held from tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. in the Leisure Arts Studio.
For students who are unable to participate in the project, the museum will be accepting butterflies mailed to 5401 Caroline St., Houston, Texas, through Dec. 31.
 
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Contact David Jones at [email protected]