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Metal Butterflies Return To Flight
Sculptures limited to downtown last year to migrate throughout the city this summer.

Rick Richards
City Editor, The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Butterfly sculptures will decorate Michigan City again this summer, but instead of being limited to downtown, the project is going city wide.

The Board of Public Works and Safety recently approved an expansion of the project.

Thomas Phillips of Oposo Landscaping is heading the effort.

"There is no cost to the city," Phillips said. "It's a way to send a message to businesses that Michigan City is a good place to live and work."

Last year, 11 of the giant metal sculptures were installed between Fourth and Ninth streets in the downtown area. This year, Phillips said he hopes to have as many as 50 butterflies set up throughout the city.

Business pay anywhere from $800 to $1,000 to sponsor a butterfly, which includes a personalized message for the business. For $800, the sponsor gets a personalized message on the wings of the butterfly, and for $1,000, businesses get a personal consultation with an artist to design a theme for the butterfly, including a corporate logo.

Phillips said a portion of the fee is set aside and later donated charity. Last year, all the money was contributed to Dunebrook, but Phillips said businesses can choose their charity this year.

He said the butterflies will be installed by May 1 and will remain on public display through Oct. 30. After that, the butterflies will be returned to storage.

However, he explained some of the butterflies were purchased outright by businesses in the downtown and remained on display through the winter on private property.

"I think the project was well received last year and I hope it grows. I hope we're able to extend it. We got calls from businesses in other parts of the city last year who wanted a butterfly, which is why we want to expand this year," Phillips said.

The metal butterflies are the work of La Porte artist Edward Wedow, who is a welder. He began creating the butterflies two years ago. They have a 5-foot wingspan and take anywhere from six to eight hours to create.



Contact Rick A. Richards at news@thenewsdispatch.com.