I Need To Stop Hitting The Enter Key
Recently, about 2 years ago, I was checking the internet, typed in the title of my Masters
Thesis, "Butterfly and Moth Symbolism in Art", just to see if there was anything listed.
Much to my surprise, I was directed to my own Thesis, beautifully rendered IN ITS ENTIRETY
in purple words on a black background with a fluttering yellow butterfly on top! The Angelfire
website design company had found my thesis and had chosen to demonstrate how they
could take my informative (but probably boring to average knowledge-seekers) Magnum Opus
and "magically" transform it into a "demo-piece" of the magic they could perform!
(Angelfire folks...if you happen to find this article...Thank you, Thank you. I don't mind at all
that you used my Masters Thesis and didn't notify, ask my permission or compensate me...
no probs...I am truly honored.)
You can visit their magic at their website. I give you permission to avoid reading my entire
thesis.
LEPIDOPTERAL SYMBOLOGY IN ART
by Ron Gagliardi
"One of the Most Far-reaching Decisions of My Life"
1969 I was graduated from Southern Connecticut State College (now SCSU).
Like other teacher-graduates, I was given ten years to complete my Masters Degree.
Art teachers are afforded three options to perform this task in order to remain employed.
1. Pass an extensive test, Nope, not for me. I had slept through too many, early morning Art History
classes in a darkened lecture hall, delivered by a professor with a sonorous, monotonous voice.
2. Present an exhibit of my most impressive artworks created during my years as an art student.
Nope, not for me. I became an art student in the middle of my sophomore year, never having
had an art course and not being that great an artist. This exhibit would have been judged by
three members of the art faculty at SCSC. (I didn't think my art had ever been held in high esteem
by most members of the art faculty at Southern.)
3. Write a thesis about an art subject that had never been explored in a Masters Thesis.
Yes! This is the choice most likely to be avoided at all costs by most art students in their right mind.
I chose it because I am a pretty good writer. And, I was a minor "expert" on Lepidopteral art already,
having been an amateur Lepidopterist since elementary school. I was also a member of the Xerces
Society, the International Lepidopterist Society and the Connecticut Entomological Society.
Plus, I was definitely a "Pro" Crastinator and being able to put off much of the work to some future
Ron-guy I didn't even know yet appealed to me.
Fast forward a few decades...
1990's I got a phone call from The National Geographic Magazine...yes, that National Geographic
Magazine...Shocked the heck out of me...especially with the surrounding reasons they wanted to
speak with me. (See lots more information in the actual article.)
2000's I would occasionally Google "Butterfly Symbolism" and was shocked at what I found about MY
international reputation.
2024 I bumped into the Angelfire Web Design Company's website and what I found there blew me
away! (Wait until you see the surprise that awaited me there!)
So, If I haven't already put you to sleep with the article's intro, let's see if I can send you off to
"Slumberland" with the full article. Sweet dreams!