Multi-media artist Juan Carlos Collada studied Painting and Printmaking at Miami Dade College, but over the course of his career has worked in everything from textile and furniture design, to decorative lighting design and fashion styling. It is his belief that artists should experience and experiment with a variety of media, and his years of putting that belief into practice have informed his current body of mixed media sculpture work.

Inspired by his time exploring the biospheres of coastal South Florida and a life-long love of nature, Collada created a unique sculptural medium that celebrates the human spirit while paying homage to the natural world we inhabit. His dynamic tableaus of flying butterflies – constructed from real feathers and individually painted by hand – defiantly capture the ethereal and often fleeting feelings of hope, resilience, and wonder.