Pacific Grove Butterfly House
“The Butterfly Man” J Jackson devoted his life to creating a single work of art – a home honoring his beloved wife Sonja
When Sonja Jackson and her husband “J” moved into this house in 1977, she was in the process of going blind due to a genetic disease. One day, despite her failing vision, J created a special gift for her – a carved wooden butterfly, painted in vibrant colors and adorned with mirrors. Despite being legally blind, Sonja could still perceive and admire the bright colors. J mounted this first butterfly onto the front of their house, reasoning that it could help her find home after daily walks along the shore with her seeing eye dog.
So pleased were they both with the colorful butterfly that J spent the next 25 years transforming their home into the “Butterfly House,” now one of the most visited sites on the Monterey Peninsula. J passed away in 2020, and Sonja remained in the house with the butterflies and her seeing eye dog until 2022, the year of her death. But the Butterfly House lives on as a celebration of boundless spousal love and the uncompromising pursuit of artistic visions that defy convention."
