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@hazerl
In hops Tylopelta gibbera, a small and sometimes deceptively complicated-patterned treehopper! It's hard to paint some of these insects because they have such variation in their coloration but I had go with the lighter, more visible patterns for this species because it's just so beautiful when you look closely. It's now up in my shop along with some restocks of two of the tiny lady beetle species!
Banana for scale.
A little bit more personal post on this Sunday. I put this up on my Instagram but I wanted to share it here too because I feel like it's important for people to hear it and maybe relate to it. I haven't been making as many sculptures or going to any art sales since February since my mental health has taken a dive.
I've been pretty much housebound for the last few months because of my severe agoraphobia, which I've struggled with on and off for years but was exacerbated by worsening chronic illnesses. I couldn't and oftentimes still can't leave the house without panicking and abandoning plans. That obviously worsened my depression and made it way harder to get anything done, especially artistically. It's been a struggle.
Thankfully I got restarted in therapy and on medication (many thoughts on that which I can elaborate on lol -- also finally getting treated for ADHD!) and have been slowly going outside more! It sounds silly but my big milestones have been walking to the park to take photos of sculptures and riding the bus for the first time since February. My first day of work back at the museum was on Thursday and it went really well; in case my followers here don't already know, I work for a conservation foundation surveying prairies by collecting, preparing, and identifying insects in reclaimed prairies here in Illinois and do that work at the Field Museum (where I've also done some grant work photographing horse and deerflies). The next big steps are physical therapy (EDS gang woooo) and in-person art sales! Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.
Anyway, thank you for reading this if you did and for following my artwork. It really means a lot to me, and I hope I can keep bringing new species of inverts to your dashboards now and again ☺️ and if anyone has questions, feel free to ask. I'm generally an open book.
A tiny jewel made not so tiny, Eudiagogus pulcher, also known as the beautiful clown weevil, was one of the many insects on my most-wanted list. I finally caught one on my trip to Houston last summer and was surprised at how small they are in person! These have been finished for a while but it took me forever to get photos of them. I'm hoping that my sculpture output will be ramping back up now too!
Just in time for Weevil Wednesday, these guys are up on my website :^)
Banana for scale.
Your insects are so cute! Which sealant do you use?
thank you so much! I use Behr water-based polyurethane to seal my sculptures (they have a couple of different kinds but I use matte and glossy depending on the bug).
The flowers are finally blooming so I was able to take some photos with the Sphaerocoris annulus sculptures outside! These beautiful shield bugs are also known as Picasso bugs, and yes, they really do have these colors and that pattern in real life. I hope I get to see one in person someday 🤩 until then, have this extremely belated, cherry-picked participation in the FeBUGuary event!
These sculptures are available on my website too!
Banana for scale.
I was made aware that these guys weren't appearing on my website -- I fixed the problem and they're up there now! Sorry about that 😅
The flowers are finally blooming so I was able to take some photos with the Sphaerocoris annulus sculptures outside! These beautiful shield bugs are also known as Picasso bugs, and yes, they really do have these colors and that pattern in real life. I hope I get to see one in person someday 🤩 until then, have this extremely belated, cherry-picked participation in the FeBUGuary event!
These sculptures are available on my website too!
Banana for scale.
The Cephalotes varians (aka the northern Caribbean turtle ant) sculptures have finally been photographed! It was tough because their lovely little door heads reflect the sunlight a bit too much for my liking but we made it work. This is one leg of my suuuuuper late attempt at a partial FeBUGuary challenge. They're now listed on my website!
Banana for scale.
Graphocephala coccinea have been restocked!
The second half of the big isopod restock is here! Cherry blossoms, dairy cows, cappuccinos, dwarf gators, papayas, and pineapple spikies have all hit the website. I've left the remaining older versions up for now but eventually I'll take those down if they just don't sell. These new and improved (see: bigger and better painted!) versions will be the new norm so if you have a soft spot for the original size and paint style, grab 'em while you can!
Not gonna add every single scale photo so here are the cherry blossoms with banana for scale.
think I'm gonna do a few of the febuguary bugs (but they'll definitely be done way past the end of this month lmao)
In case I have any followers in or around Chicago, I'll be tabling at the Cupids Vintage and Artisan Fest on February 7th and 8th! Come stop by to say hi and check out the bugs in person :-) I'm busy restocking the other half of my isopod selection and then I'm gonna haul booty to get some pink and red bugs ready for Valentine's Day ❤️🩷❤️
this weekend! come check out my bug sculptures in person if you can! and afterwards a bunch of version 2.0 isopods will go up on my my webbed site 🕷️🕸️
In case I have any followers in or around Chicago, I'll be tabling at the Cupids Vintage and Artisan Fest on February 7th and 8th! Come stop by to say hi and check out the bugs in person :-) I'm busy restocking the other half of my isopod selection and then I'm gonna haul booty to get some pink and red bugs ready for Valentine's Day ❤️🩷❤️
Meet Cylindrocopturus quercus, a truly goofy little weevil and a pleasure to have in class!
Banana for scale.
ok apparently I should have specified!!! these are polymer clay sculptures based on the species C. quercus, not the actual live weevils!!! the real weevils are much much smaller and, I fear, even more adorable
Meet Cylindrocopturus quercus, a truly goofy little weevil and a pleasure to have in class!
Banana for scale.
The new and improved website is now open to the public! There are plenty of new sculpture species to check out as well as a new little gallery of past commissioned pieces and one-of-one sculptures that have made their way through my shop previously in case anyone is curious about potential commissions. I'm alllllmost ready to offer international shipping as well!
Thank you so much to everyone that has stuck with me through this quick evolution, and I hope you enjoy all of the work to come!
My website has closed for the rest of the year for a much-needed revamp! I'll have it back up and running in January 2026 (hopefully on January 1st, but I have some holiday plans right before then and I'm a one-person show, so... you know how it is) with a brand new look and plenty of bugs. Until then, I'll still be posting updates and other insect art. Stay tuned for the reopening!
Featured here is Aiolocaria hexaspilota.
I'll be setting up shop here at Artifact Events in Ravenswood, Chicago for Trinket Fest tomorrow if anyone is in town and wants to swing by! I'm bringing a bunch of updated versions of my mini isopod sculptures and whatever is left from the sale will go up on my website :-)