This work explores metamorphosis, a process of profound change that is both fragile and powerful. Rooted in the Ancient Greek words meta, meaning change, and morphē, meaning form, the term literally signifies transformation. This concept is embodied in a chrysalis with the journey of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, where a delicate shift in form mirrors the tension between vulnerability and strength.

I created the piece from willow and wet-strength tissue paper. The willow frame is refined with minimal joins to create a clean, skeletal flow, with a sequence of willow disks shifting from circular shapes at the top, through elliptical ovals, to wing-like forms at the base, forming a physical map of transformation. The tissue creates a delicate yet resilient skin that suggests both protection and vulnerability.

The work is deeply autobiographical and reflects transitions I am navigating in my own life – my children leaving home, the physical and emotional shifts of menopause, and my evolution from a career in graphic design to becoming an artist. These experiences of introspection and uncertainty place me in my own chrysalis state. My work honours this in-between space of tension, growth, and potential.