A new direction, for now…

Since moving to a beautiful, small coastal town in California, I’m spending a lot more time enjoying the great outdoors. As a result, my focus has shifted from insect-inspired assemblages. I now walk on the beach every day, collect what the nearby ocean serves up on our beautiful coastline, and turn my found treasures into free-form assemblages. Driftwood, shells, repurposed jewelry, wire, twine and other curious objects all come together to bring a smile to friends and family who receiveRead more

Mass Ratios and Insect Respect.

A fun re-post from my drawing blog. How many living insects exist in the world on any given day? Scientists estimate somewhere between 1 quintillion (that’s a billion billion) and 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000). With merely 6.8 billion humans on Earth, it seems we’re outnumbered.   If you’re like me, you’re having trouble visualizing the those numbers in terms of biomass. As luck would have it, the mathematical heavy lifting has been done, which makes the case for roughly 200 pounds of insects for each pound of human.Read more

Syntomeida epilais: Macula

Macula (Latin for “Spot”) is a Polka Dot Wasp Moth, a species native to the Caribbean. The tip of the moth’s abdomen is bright red, and looks like a dangerous wasp, but in fact is harmless. The caterpillars are orange with long black hairs and also look dangerous, but do not inflict any harm. Cold assembly: antique cans, wood potato masher, brass drawer pulls, spatulas, fabric, recycled jewelry, machine parts, peacock feathers, paint. Dimensions: 15”x10”x15” $425   S O LRead more

Pyrops candelaria: Clara

Clara represents a species of plant hopper that lives in southeast Asia. They sometimes called lantern flies, although they don’t emit light. They feed on plant sap, using their long, slender proboscis to pierce tree bark. Collectors love this insect, due to its beautiful coloration. Assemblage: antique oil cans, cheese grater, farm tool, vintage recycled jewelry and buttons, antique eyeglass temples, wire, fasteners, silk. Dimensions: 14” x 8” x 15”    Read more