By Bristol Elementary students in the Bristol Butterfly Club

Ellie, Anahliah, Gentrie, Rozalia, Haleigh, Colby, Madelyn, Graeson, Amelia) led by teachers Melissa Matzen and Cathy Banoczi created this petite butterfly.

The students got the inspiration to create a butterfly that represented Bristol's STEAM pathway. They planned out their part of the wing by researching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math doodles. However, they also learned in the butterfly club about the symmetry of butterfly wings, so they each had to work with a partner while planning the front and back of each wing. The A (art is represented at the base of the stand. The students ranged from 3rd-5th grade.

By Grant Elementary School students, Maria Medina and Adriana Esteban Chavez

Two wonderfully creative 5th grade students created this Grant Lions inspired butterfly. The petite butterfly "Leo", was named after their mascot the lion, AND after Lepidoptera (butterfly). The girls came up with the designs, keeping in mind the culture of Grant Elementary School. The colors reflect Grant's school colors of yellow and gold, and the word characteristics of their school, and how students and staff strive to treat one another. They worked after school and during many recess times to complete the project. The Grant community couldn't be prouder!

By Bella Espanoza

Queen Palmer Elementary School student artist Bella Espanoza, guided by her teacher Danielle Stuart created a petite butterfly "Queen Butterfly".

By Avery Chavez, Savannah Wright, Madison Whittaker & Leighton Keilman

5th grade students from McAuliffe Elementary School created a petite butterfly "Sweet Summertime" as a fun tribute to summer. They chose a vibrant fruit theme, painting the butterfly to look like a juicy watermelon, complete with colorful rind and seeds. The stand holding the butterfly is designed to resemble a zesty lemon, adding to the refreshing summer feel. Together, these elements capture the essence of summer to make "Sweet Summertime" a joyful and playful piece.

By Sydney Black & Vincent O'Neill

Palmer High School student artists Sydney Black and Vincent O'Neill created a petite butterfly "Garden of the Gods". The top is Garden of the Gods; life, sunshine and happiness inspired by Sydney and the underside is the end of life represented by Vincent.

By Ember Barron

5th grade Trailblazer student Ember Barron painted a petite butterfly "Sunset" saying it was a fun new art challenge. Her inspiration was the feeling of a warm sunset.

By Jill Clark

Jill has participated as an artist in Rotary's Wings of Change, formerly Flight, for four years. She has been an artist for 50 years and has worked in almost all mediums. She enjoys participating in this Rotary fundraiser as a great way to give back to our community and share her art.

Jill has painted a garden dragonfly "Dragonfly Dreams" and petite butterfly "Bohemian Wings" with an inspiration to create stunning pieces of art that attract the eye but can still cohabitate with nature.

By Hope L AuBuchon

Hope is a self taught artist that loves to bring smiles to people's faces. She grew up as a military brat and because of that she was able to see a lot of the world while she was young. She is always trying new things and trying to grow as a person and an artist.

Hope has painted a garden butterfly titled "It's all Monet" inspired by Claude Monet and his love of nature. In addition, she has a petite butterfly titled "Bunch-a-Balloons" inspired by the Labor Day balloons that happen every year at Memorial Park. She wants to help her community. This will be her 8th year with Wings of Change.

By Kim Polomka

Kim has participated as an artist with Rotary's Wings of Change, formerly Flight, since 2008.

He has designed a petite butterfly "Flight of the Patriot" inspired by a 21' x 76' mural he painted for the American Legion Post 12 in Wickenburg, Arizona in November 2023. The process gave him a renewed respect for the flag and what it stands for. This butterfly has a unique hand etched base portraying the American flag.

By Lorraine Danzo

Lorraine is a resident of Colorado Springs. She has an art degree from Pratt Institute of Art in New York. She has been represented by galleries in New York, New Jersey, New Mexico (Taos and Santa Fe), Arizona (Sedona) and currently shows at Gallery 45 Degree in Old Colorado City. Her work of animals, aspen, flowers or mountains is always a celebration of textures and colors.

Lorraine has created three sculptures for 2024, a garden butterfly "All a Flutter" and two petite butterflies "Sunflower Celebration" and "Just Winging It". Her butterflies celebrate the wonder of delicate wings capable of soaring and dipping. Delighting all with their antics and heavenly patterns and colors.

By Rebekah Black

Rebekah Black is a self-taught artist who enjoys numerous types of art including sculpture, colored pencil, and painting. She graduated from Colorado State University-Pueblo with a bachelor's of arts in applied mathematics and French. She continued her STEM education with numerous master's level classes in molecular biology, microbiology, and organic chemistry while completing research for a NASA funded project about life surviving in extreme environments. Rebekah has taught reading and math at James Madison Elementary School in District 11, taught art in District 49 elementary schools, and has worked for the Colorado Department of Higher Education through their GEARUP Program at Mitchell High School in District 11, where she prepared low-income high school students to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

Rebekah's petite butterfly, "Moments of Wonder" is inspired by that occasion when, if we are lucky, the world reveals a true moment of wonder. She wanted to illustrate two of those moments in this piece. Sea turtles act as guardians of the coral reefs, keeping them healthy so the numerous other species living amongst the reefs are also healthy. This benefits the oceans, as well as humanity. Viewing a sea turtle swim overhead is an awe-inspiring event. Yet, in the future, these moments may disappear, along with the turtles. Humanity has the opportunity to help protect sea turtles right now, allowing them to keep protecting the coral reefs, and us to behold moments of wonder like these for years to come.

She has been involved in Flight, now Wings of Change, for nine years, and she completely believes in the program. She has created four large butterflies, eight petite butterflies, and two dragonflies. She has been lucky enough to have had a front row seat at some of the schools that received funds to see the wonderful projects and learning that has resulted. As a STEAM student herself, she knows how important it is to spark an interest in students at a young age, so that children get the confidence and excitement that will stay with them through their lives. It is crucial that children nurture both their analytical and creative sides in order to solve the problems that our world is facing. These problems will not be solved by just one area of thinking, but through a combination of many different areas with many different perspectives. She believes that it is of the utmost importance for our community to have programs such as Wings of Change to support the arts and sciences for our deserving students.

By Al B Johnson

Al B is a local abstract artist who has a studio at the Sluice in Old Colorado City and is a Resident Artist at Platte Collections Gallery in the Knob Hill area. He has been a part of the Rotary's Wings of Change (formerly Flight) for many years. He started because he supported the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs efforts to provide grants for STEAM programs in District 11 schools. His butterflies are always known to be colorful and creative and he has developed a following over the years that made him an ideal choice to create the Rotary Raffle Butterfly for the past few years. His experience has been very helpful to artists participating in the Rotary Wings of Change event in that he is considered to be an expert on what works and doesn't and how to best represent artists designs. He has been a mentor to the other artists involved in Wings of Change projects and has worked hard to contribute to the success of this program.

Al B is the artist of the 2024 raffle butterfly "Chouka" meaning "butterfly flower" in Japanese. Al B has been very busy sharing his talents with Wings of Change this year as the artist of four additional pieces. He has painted a garden dragonfly "Big Blue", inspired by a real dragonfly; A garden butterfly "Buttercup", a petite butterfly "Personal Monarch" and a petite dragonfly "Little Red".

By Laura Scott

Native of Colorado. Loves writing, mostly poetry. A proud owner of a gorgeous Shiba Inu, Vixyn Qita who just turned 4. Loves cooking , baking, singing, and escape rooms. Her petite butterfly "Rhythm in Red" has sheet music lines and notes flowing under the butterfly of glossy red and black acrylic paint. Her inspiration to participate in Rotary's Wings of Change is to contribute to the educational system and the district in which the schools receive funds from this event while meeting others with the same idea. She has been involved in the last three years and thinks, why stop now?

By Grayson Wissbaum

Grayson is 14 years old and he lives in Bend, Oregon. This is the third petite butterfly he has painted for the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs. He and his siblings paint with their Grandma, Laurel Bahe, during their vacation time in Colorado. Grayson is a soccer player, a cross country runner, high jumper and a soccer referee. His painting style is very fluid, he just jumps right in and paints! He makes it seem effortless.

Grayson's petite butterfly "Rizz Wizz" is described as "splashy and wild!"

By Melissa Getz

Melissa Getz was born and raised in once rural Ohio next to her grandfather's farm, which in turn influences much of her work today. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in studio arts from Ohio University. Melissa gravitated to the tactility of three dimensional bronze, mixed media and found objects. Her work has an off-beat, narrative quality presented through creatures and figures along with an underlying tone of quirky playfulness to dark humor. Melissa has shown throughout Colorado and around the US. She currently resides in Colorado Springs and works outdoors, finding inspiration for new pieces.

Melissa's petite butterfly "Shimmer Skimmer" is inspired by previous butterfly designs and the educational mission of the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs as well as pushing her creative envelope.

By The Pour Painter

"The Pour Painter" is professional artistry created with the support of friends and family while battling everything that chronic illness can throw at life: autoimmune disorders, depression, anxiety, arthritis, insomnia, surgeries. . . We have created 5 sculptures of varied size and style for Flight, now Wings of Change, over the years, and we're enthusiastic to come back and contribute to our community again. Each piece is an abstract exploration of color inspired by unique experiences to remind us that every moment is ephemeral. This is our fourth year participating!

Our garden dragonfly "Space: The Sky is Not Black" and petite butterfly "Spaaaace: Glitter in the Sky" derive inspiration from the march of celestial events dancing across the sky this year. We are fortunate to be able to experience the darkness of our sky here in Colorado, so we may be intrigued by the true colors and wonder above us. Our design includes Pikes Peak, The Garden of the Gods, solar and lunar eclipse phenomena, the Tsuchinshan-Atlas Comet, and so much more. Please enjoy our delight in the stars above. And they will both glow again!

By Rebekah Lamm

She is a self taught artist who enjoys inspiring others through many forms of art. She is working towards hyper realism and has had the privilege of completing four butterflies for the Rotary fundraiser in the past. Her home has always been on the beautiful front range of Pikes Peak, and she currently lives on her farm with her four kids and husband.

Rebekah's garden butterfly "Damsel" is inspired by a similar design she has done in the past. It turned out stunning when she did it as a petite butterfly. "Damsel" repeats this favorite design in the glorious garden sized butterfly, based off of the beauty found in topaz stone. Her intricate and delicate detail is hard for her to pass up in a larger size! Her petite butterfly "Star Gazer" is inspired by growing up in the country where looking at the stars at night was considered an event. "We would drive to a dirt road, where it was quiet and lay a blanket in the back of the truck while we took in the stunning beauty of the Milky Way and tried to see even the tiniest twinkles. Butterflies are breathtaking and I wanted to merge the beautiful wonder of both."

Rebekah's own education was neglected growing up and she never got more than 3rd grade education until her adulthood. She is passionate about this fundraiser to help give kids these days the best chance they have to an enriched education, and to encourage the arts of all forms for generations to come.

By Kelly Noffsinger

She is a woman trying to navigate life and its changes the best she can. Art is an anchor she can hold onto when the way gets rough. Her petite butterfly "Storms and Rainbows" tells the story of storms bringing darkness into all our lives. The promise of the universe is that the beauty of the rainbow can coexist with the darkness of the storm. Just like the skies, we are spacious enough to hold great grief and great joy at the same time. And the storm will always pass, leaving quiet and peace in its wake. The swirls remind us that the constant movement and the unexpected, sometimes unwelcome changes of life are a gift that will always bring about new growth if we choose to embrace them.

Kelly has been involved with Rotary's Flight, now Wings of Change for the past couple of years. She loves producing public, outdoor art.

By Lorraine Danzo

Lorraine is a resident of Colorado Springs. She has an art degree from Pratt Institute of Art in New York. She has been represented by galleries in New York, New Jersey, New Mexico (Taos and Santa Fe), Arizona (Sedona) and currently shows at Gallery 45 Degree in Old Colorado City. Her work of animals, aspen, flowers or mountains is always a celebration of textures and colors.

Lorraine has created three sculptures for 2024, a garden butterfly "All a Flutter" and two petite butterflies "Sunflower Celebration" and "Just Winging It". Her butterflies celebrate the wonder of delicate wings capable of soaring and dipping. Delighting all with their antics and heavenly patterns and colors.

By Mary Gorman

Mary is a Colorado native, born in Canon City, grew up in Pueblo and has resided in Colorado Springs since 1973. She had a rewarding 33 year career in Federal Civil Service serving the US Air Force and Army. Becoming an artist and traveling the world are her passions since retirement. She has been a member of Gallery 113 since its inception in 2011. She primarily paints with silk dye on silk fabric in her studio and watercolor on location with Garden Artists and Plein Aire Painters of Colorado. She is a strong supporter of education and the arts. She has painted petite butterflies every year since 2020 and painted a large dragonfly. Her painting group inspires and energizes each other to support this community event.

This year Mary is painting a garden butterfly "Tapestry" inspired by the look of the bold gold, teal and red to form the impression of stitches on a tapestry. And a petite butterfly "Sunrise" inspired by a Sunset Moth with colors from white to yellows to greens and blues with a touch of purple and dramatic irregular black shapes

By C. E. Gould

C. E. Gould is a longtime Colorado artist who took an interest in art from an early age and who has a passion for drawing, painting and creating. The inspiration for the petite butterfly "Sunshine" comes from the magnificent beauty of the Two-tailed Swallowtail butterflies that can be seen throughout Colorado. Participating in Wings of Change provides the opportunity to bring awareness to the importance of creative development in Colorado Springs' schools.

By Georgia Padilla

Georgia is a Colorado native. She is a self taught mixed media artist. She started doing art as a young girl to cope with the strife of having heart disease which limited what she could do physically. Over the years, art has been a therapeutic outlet for trauma and health issues in her life. She also does custom work and creates usable art gifts for Maker's Markets when she is not creating for a professional setting.

Georgia's garden butterfly "Atman'' and her petite dragonfly "Summertide" are inspired by reconnecting with her indigenous heritage and her family's indigenous beadwork. Her petite butterfly, "The Garden" is inspired by spring, blooming flowers, and planting flowers. She has participated in Flight, now Wings of Change, in 2022 and 2023. She loves what Wings of Change stands for and what they do for the community. She moved back to the Springs from Denver this January and her daughter attends a D11 school. She enjoys being a chosen artist and being able to contribute her talents to this amazing cause.

By Marilyn LeVan Chambon

Marilyn is a repeat artist having designed sculptures in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Though she is a licensed professional counselor in private practice by occupation, she has discovered a wonderful way to express herself creatively through the medium of watercolor. Just as life presents opportunities for growth, so does each painting, with its little surprises and challenges, all of which end up teaching more about life.

Marilyn's work represents her years as a counselor where she witnessed some incredible transitions people have gone through from darkness to new life just like a butterfly. "Winging It" is inspired by the thought that for many of us, we cannot "fly" until we are able to let go of what has bound us up through life's circumstances. It may be a process that takes as long as it takes, but the freedom to thrive awards all of the effort.

By Marilyn LeVan Chambon

Marilyn is a repeat artist having designed sculptures in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Though she is a licensed professional counselor in private practice by occupation, she has discovered a wonderful way to express herself creatively through the medium of watercolor. Just as life presents opportunities for growth, so does each painting, with its little surprises and challenges, all of which end up teaching more about life.

Marilyn's work represents her years as a counselor where she witnessed some incredible transitions people have gone through from darkness to new life just like a butterfly. "Wings of Freedom'' is inspired by the thought that for many of us, we cannot "fly" until we are able to let go of what has bound us up through life's circumstances. It may be a process that takes as long as it takes, but the freedom to thrive awards all of the effort.