How art and nature intersect at the Creative Creatures event

This is a paid piece from the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium.

Simplified: Local artists will share their work – inspired, in part, by the beauty of butterflies and sea creatures – during an upcoming event hosted by the Butterfly House and Aquarium. Here's what you need to know about Creative Creatures.

Why it matters

• This is the third year for Creative Creatures, a partnership between local visual arts organization Untitled.10 and the zoo and aquarium, and each year's event has looked a little bit different.
• For the first time this year, the Nov. 30 event will be hosted at the Butterfly House and Aquarium. It'll also be the first time artists will have works available for purchase – including some works inspired by their own visits to the butterfly house.
• The partnership is a win-win for the two organizations. Untitled.10 gets an opportunity to showcase their work in a different part of the community than its typical downtown shows, Co-Director Levi Sternburg said. And the butterfly house gets a chance to bring unique, creative programming to its members and visitors.

"This is a great experience to match your love of art with your love of animals," said La'Toria Horan, director of experience and engagement with the butterfly house. "It'll really connect – for kids and families – art with animals and art with conservation, which is really important to us."

Tell me more about the event

Creative Creatures will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Butterfly House and Aquarium.

• The event activities are included with regular admission, as well as with a Monarch membership.

Four artists, each with a different medium, will be stationed throughout the facility, explaining their process, showing their work and even selling certain pieces.

Those artists include:

• Photographer Cassia McLoone,
• Felt Sculptor Kathryn Daniels of "Ouch, I Felt that,"
• Painter Jody Fleischhacker,
• and Illustrator Kelsey Bageant.

Guests will also be able to make their own artistic creations at an exploratory station in the discovery center. There will be two art educators – Corissa Petrich and Sonia Perea Morales – overseeing the fun.

"As people come through and see the aquarium, butterfly house and other creatures, I think they’ll feel that in the artwork and hopefully be inspired to take something home – or even go home and make something for themselves," Sternburg said.

How can I get tickets?

If you've got a Monarch membership, your entry is included in your existing membership.

You can get your general admission tickets here.

If you need to renew your membership, you'll want to keep an eye out for details on an upcoming sale between Black Friday and the new year. Spoiler: deals include earning free Zoo Bucks.