Steven Albaranes
In 1989, when I first became fascinated by the beauty of exotic butterflies, I was only interested in the ones with the most spec- tacular colors and the most alluring looks. Though I had no desire to collect them, I did think that they could be arranged creatively and displayed as works of art. While searching for a source for these exotic creatures, I learned that commercial breeding farms exist overseas and also that the butterflies that these farms sell are of varying degrees of quality. Because I wanted the art I intended to create with these butterflies to be the very best, I insisted on acquiring only the top level; A/1 museum quality.
Artwork I sell
As an artist, I create each and every piece with precision and care. My work has been featured in Silicon Valley Magazine and the S.F. Examiner. Once the butterflies are mounted in the airtight crystal clear acrylic displays, they are timelessly preserved for a lifetime of enjoyment. I sign and date each display.
Aside from selling at various Art and Wine festivals around the Bay Area, I also do corporate projects. I have worked with many companies such as Steven Engineering, Nvidia, Neiman Marcus, and Tiffany & Company.
Butterflies in my work
All the exotic butterflies that I use are purchased from commercial butterfly breeding farms located primarily in South America and Indonesia. None of them are captured or killed for my art nor are any of them endangered species. With their life spans being approximately three weeks, they flourish in natural surroundings in these enclosed plantations (a designated area is netted off), then die naturally.
* Custom Designs: If you would like custom work, feel free to contact me to discuss. Here is a portfolio of custom design work that I done for clients.