Local artist works with students to create sustainability-minded butterfly chairs
Young Life. MONARCH + SWALLOWTAIL sculptural seats become newest art installation at the Warwick Valley Community Center.
Warwick /
| 05 Aug 2026 | 04:42
Summer Youth Leadership Academy students and artist Amy Lewis Sweetman pose with their butterfly chair creations. (
)
The MONARCH + SWALLOWTAIL sculptural seats can be found on the front lawn of the Warwick Valley Community Center. (
)
Summer Youth Leadership Academy used recycled bottles to adorn the wings of the butterfly chairs. (
)
Local artist and AGRISCULPTURE Founder Amy Lewis Sweetman worked with students in the Warwick’s Summer Youth Leadership Academy to create a new, permanent public art installation located on the front lawn of the Warwick Valley Community Center.
Focusing on sustainability and art, the installation, MONARCH + SWALLOWTAIL, consists of two, butterfly-inspired, sculptural seats, featuring recycled plastic beverage bottles as the design elements of the wings, as well as antique tractor seats and antique hay tines from locally sourced tractors and farm implements.
This is Sweetman’s fourth summer leading students on a public art journey. She kicks off each year with a presentation on her work followed by a series of hands-on workshops which culminate in the public art you may enjoy today at the community center including “Giant Tripods” 2023, “Rock River” 2024, “Destination Warwick” 2025 and “MONARCH + SWALLOWTAIL” 2026.
Leadership Academy students in the 2026 program say, “Thank you so much Amy, for taking the time to dream up and execute such an amazing project with us this summer! Your trust, endless encouragement, creativity and commitment to the ideas that you come up with are truly admirable, and these are both lessons and attributes that SYLA 2026 will carry into the future, having worked closely with you these past few weeks.”