Collection: philippa bentley

Philippa Bentley is a New Zealand artist and designer, based in Auckland, whose artwork is inspired by nature, often with a twist. A fascination with insects, that has lasted from playing in her sprawling childhood garden and in the creek down at the bottom of the bush inspired Philippa’s series of insect collections presented as museum specimens.

“Just as butterflies are caught and preserved, archived in a museum specimen box, so are our experiences somehow captured and archived as our memories.”

Philippa’s beautiful Monarch Butterfly incorporates the ‘Edmonds Sure to Rise’ heritage branding radiating out across its wings. Prompting treasured childhood memories of home baking and that sense of wonder, watching as striped caterpillars transform into a chrysalis and then a bright orange butterfly on swan plants in summer. This image is a detail of Philippa’s original artwork Monarch Butterfly, a hand painted silkscreen print Butterfly Collection on houseboards, 650 x 650 x 60mm.

This limited edition collection is made from bone china, a very fine china that is made translucent due to a percentage of bone ash mixed in with the clay. It is an extremely light and beautiful material which allows the light to shine through.