Magical Monarch Butterfly Mural Story and Support Continues

A monarch butterfly with orange and black wings rests on a cluster of vibrant orange and yellow flowers, surrounded by green foliage in bright sunlight.
Photo by Ian A Nelson
A cluster of orange and black monarch butterflies gathered on tree branches, with the text "Western Monarch Butterflies: Protecting Our Pollinators" overlaid in the center.

Ian A Nelson’s Western Monarch Butterflies Protecting our Pollinators documentary

As one of the most iconic species in North America, the monarch butterflies’ population decline signals the overall health of our ecosystem. The western monarch population migrates between their breeding areas west of the Rocky Mountains and the California coast. Conservationists and dedicated community members are working hard to protect, restore, and enhance habitats for monarchs, which has a cascading effect, benefiting other native pollinators.

Upcoming Screenings:

September 12, 2025: Pepperwood Preserve
September 27, 2025: Laguna de Santa Rosa

It Starts with a Pencil, General Pencil and Artist Jonathan Martinez raise awareness of Western Monarch Butterfly  

Protecting the Western Monarch Butterfly – Legislative update with Congressman Panetta

Where are the Monarch Butterfly Murals?

79 New Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA
180 New Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA

Watch the time-lapse video of Jonathan Martinez creating ​the Magical Monarch Butterfly Mural

​See photos of Jonathan Martinez and Brittney creating ​the Magical Monarch Butterfly Mural

Thank you to all of the creative team and project supporters!

We appreciate everyone who collaborated to help us beautify the urban space with our Magical Monarch Butterfly Mural Project

Ian A. Nelson
Wilderness Conservation Filmmaker
Academy of Art University Alum

Jana Memel
Executive Director Schools of Entertainment, Academy of Art University

How to Draw A Monarch Butterfly

3 General's® Brand Pencils that are horizontal and stacked on top of each other. Top Pencil: Since 1889 General's® Charcoal 557-4B Soft, Signature Orange barrel with white imprint. Sharpened to expose the charcoal core and sustained yield cedar wood. Middle Pencil: Since 1889 General's® Layout Pencil Extra Black No. 555, Black barrel with white imprint. Sharpened to expose the Layout® graphite core and sustained yield cedar wood. Bottom Pencil: Since 1889 General's® MultiPastel® chalk 4429 Sanguine, natural cedar wood finish with white imprint. Sharpened to expose the sanguine pastel chalk core and sustained yield cedar wood. Finished with a silver ferrule and white eraser.

Share your butterfly drawings with us using #GeneralPencil

Download the Complete Lesson Plan