Before the first butterfly fluttered onto the wall of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, it began as a single sheet of white paper in someone’s hands.
A Caregiver’s Butterfly Garden is a collaborative, evolving art installation made possible by Direct Care Workers, students, volunteers, and advocates across Michigan. Each butterfly in the exhibit begins with a painting workshop, using Kaleidoscope Kits filled with high-quality materials and instructions. Some are decorated during caregiver support groups. Others are made by high school students, children, and community members who want to contribute to something beautiful.
“It’s incredible to watch a table full of strangers become a team of artists with a shared purpose,” said Rochelle Berry, who leads communications and creative strategy for the project. “People are moved by what these butterflies represent—strength, transformation, compassion.”
The installation is visually stunning, but it’s the story behind each butterfly that gives it meaning. A retired nurse. A teen who helped care for her grandfather. A CNA who works three jobs to keep people safe. Their fingerprints are woven into the wings.
The public is invited to visit A Caregiver’s Butterfly Garden at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts through January 2026.
