Phoenix Rotary’s butterfly art auction supports homeless

Phoenix Rotary 100 has teamed up with more than 40 local artists who creatively transformed blank metal canvases into more than 50 metal butterfly sculptures. These butterflies symbolize transformation, particularly reflecting the situations of those experiencing homelessness going through extremely transformative periods of their lives.

The butterflies were part of a display on April 4, 2025, at the Shemer Art Center and are available for purchase through an online auction. The money raised goes to the Phoenix Rotary 100.

The Phoenix Rotary 100 chapter was founded in 1914 as the 100th club to join Rotary. Through the years, Phoenix Rotary 100 has been at the forefront of community service in Phoenix and beyond.

Daniel Capote, Chair and Club President of Phoenix Rotary 100, and Lisa Henning, Co-chair and Board member of Phoenix Rotary 100, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the auction.

“We are a service organization; we focus a lot on volunteering and a lot about grants and giving back to the community,” Capote said. “We do a lot with food banks, just giving to non-profits, and we support a lot of local non-profits.”

Phoenix Rotary 100 provides the metal to the artists who then create whatever butterfly art they desire. The artists add materials such as blown glass, colorful paint, wood and extra-welded metal, according to Capote. He and Henning spoke to art galleries in Old Town Scottsdale about this art-making and were able to collect artists to participate in their auction.

“Butterflies represent, obviously, great transformation and inspiration and hopefully something motivating to people to be impactful in their journey,” Henning said.