the Ugly Butterfly Series

The “Ugly Butterfly” series of short films is where I explore human emotions that are as complex as the character itself is raw.

I love playing with the ugly butterfly because it’s actively trying to wrestle with its own mind. I find it hilarious, sad and compelling.  At odds with the world and its Self.  It has self-knowledge to a cumbersome degree for a puppet.  It knows it’s poorly-made.  It knows its stop-motion movements are embarrassingly lo-tech.

But it has fight, damn it.

 

These films share the same motivational force as my touchy-feely series of paintings.  There’s something about the crudity in both cases – whether painted socks or an odd creature that doesn’t really look like a butterfly at all perhaps because it was sewn together under the duress of an institutional craft day.  This crudity, this childlike simplicity drives me (allows me?) to the explore a darker side of life with humour and compassion.

just relax

An ugly butterfly wants to overcome the biggest obstacle to its peace of mind.

Running Time – 4 minutes, 45 seconds.

 

© 2022

SLEEPLESS

Why is sleep so hard during a plague?

Running Time – 2 minutes, 27 seconds.

 

© 2020

the green channel

WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH YOU, SUSANNA A. KOX?

Being a teenaged insect is hard.  Memories rise up.

Emotional processing is also hard but must be done.

Running Time – 4 minutes, 6 seconds.

 

© 2020

THE BEAUTIFUL PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES OF AN UGLY BUTTERFLY

The ugly butterfly first starts to live its rich emotional life.

Running Time – 2 minutes, 58 seconds.

 

© 2017

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