052 - Love Is Like a Butterfly by Jacob

My three-piece series celebrates Dolly Parton's unique cultural position as both authentic storyteller and glamorous icon, exploring different facets of the phenomenon that makes her universally beloved.

"Love Is Like a Butterfly" transforms Dolly into an ethereal butterfly goddess with her signature platinum beehive, enveloped in a galaxy of iridescent butterflies emerging from her rhinestone-encrusted gown. Against a dreamy backdrop of golden bokeh lights, she embodies celestial glamour while referencing her 1974 hit song and philosophy that butterflies "don't sting, don't bite, and are so beautiful" - much like Dolly herself. The piece showcases her aesthetic philosophy: "It costs a lot of money to look this cheap!"

"I Sleep in My Makeup (Just in Case There's a Fire)" captures Dolly's beloved quirky side through surreal imagery of her sleeping in a shimmering blue sequined gown amid floating rainbow spheres and monarch butterflies. Drag queen clones pilot butterfly hot air balloons in the background, referencing her famous loss at a Dolly look-alike contest. This impossible dreamscape embodies pure DOLLYWEIRD energy, celebrating the absurd contradictions that make her endearing.

"Saint Dolly of the Smoky Mountains" presents her as a folk art devotional icon with a rhinestone halo against golden leaf background. Wearing signature denim and pink bow, she holds a book from her Imagination Library while a banner mysteriously reads her most famous wisdom to those who would know: "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." Surrounded by Appalachian wildflowers and butterflies, this retablo-style piece honors her philanthropic legacy of over $247 million in books donated.

Together, these works explore how Dolly transcends celebrity status by being simultaneously "totally artificial and totally real" - capturing the magic that makes her beloved across all demographics through her ability to unite rather than divide, sparkle while staying grounded.

--

Hey y'all! I'm a 39-year-old neurodivergent dude, husband, and father who believes the world needs more sparkle, kindness, and particularly weird art. My brain works differently, which means I see connections others might miss - like how Dolly Parton sleeping in sequins while drag queens pilot butterfly hot air balloons makes perfect sense as high art.

I create pieces that celebrate the 'stuff' that makes life brighter. There's something magical about honoring timeless stories. My neurodivergent perspective helps me spot the beautiful absurdities that make someone like Dolly universally beloved.

I cherish being able to support my friends' creative endeavors, playing chess with my kids, and convincing my Katie that she did the right thing by saying "yes" all these years ago. I believe art should make people smile, think, and feel a little less alone in this wonderfully weird world. And it's also special in the eye of the beholder.

My DOLLYWEIRD series combines my ironic fascination with pop culture deep-dives with my tendency to hyperfocus on details that others overlook. Why does Dolly transcend typical celebrity? How do you capture "totally artificial yet totally real" in a single image? These are the rabbit holes my brain loves to explore.

Connect with me:
Email: jmolz12@gmail.com