Artwork copyright Stevie Shao. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2023.
Artwork copyright Stevie Shao. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2025.
River Butterfly, 2023
Location: Kessler Center, Puyallup
About the Artwork
River Butterfly by Stevie Shao evokes the mysticism of the natural world. Shao notes, "Butterflies are a mark in time, a reminder of the vulnerability of life." They are a powerful symbol of delicate beauty combined with transformation, resiliency, and the pains of growth.
This artwork is part of a curated collection by Lucile Chich in October 2023 for the Kessler Center, in Puyallup, Western Washington. The collection is based on joy, color, and inclusion. It was critical to the local Art Selection Committee that the collection celebrate artists who are experiencing disability. This could be physical, neurological, or intellectual. They also wanted to see artists who use the transformative powers of artmaking to transcend, to heal, to rejoice.
This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Puyallup School District.
About the Artist
Stevie Shao creates artworks with a love for color, nature, and community. Her imagery is rooted in her personal experience, combining her Chinese American heritage with her life in the Pacific Northwest. She also works as an illustrator and designer. Shao is born-and-raised in Seattle, and continues to live and work there.
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