Bug Art

I had mentioned before how my mother collects interesting insects. It's a hobby that can lead to some beautiful wall decorations along with some creepy ones. The bird eating spider is a bit much. The walking stick insect is beautiful. I had mentioned before about Michelle Stitzlein's found art insects thinking that those would be right up her alley. But today while looking at Drawn.ca, I found another amazing example of insect art that I might have to look into getting for her.

Mike Libby takes the actual specimens of insects and inserts mechanical parts to create his art. His beetles have propellers and gears. His grasshoppers receive springs. And everything is unbelievably beautiful. Libby describes it as the ultimate mix of science fiction and science. He says that so many science fiction pieces depict insects as robotic and that now scientist are studying insect behavior to learn more about mechanical movement. This is a beautiful blend of nature and machinery. I was enchanted by his work. So many beautiful insects. I have included one picture as a tease but you really need to head over to his site, Insect Lab Studios to see the rest. Gorgeous. And perhaps I have a new idea of a present for mom.

Specimens

My mother collects insects. I'm not sure where she picked up the hobby, but we have always had some sort of specimen lying around the house. We kids have started bringing home interesting ones that we find, like a beautiful intact praying mantis. She had bought a number of different ones including some incredibly creepy ones. The first time you see a hairy Goliath Bird-Eating Spider, you realize why so many people are afraid of arachnids.
But she doesn't just collect the creepy ones. She has some beautiful butterflies that she has collected throughout the years. Moths and butterflies of every shape and color imaginable. They always remind me of the sheer beauty of nature. Many of them are framed and hung on the walls. Nature as art. So when I found this artist on Roadside Scholar, I thought of my mother.

I'll have to check prices and see about purchasing one of these incredible and incredibly large butterflies for her. The artist is Michelle Stitzlein and she creates her beautiful bugs using objects that she finds. Those wings are mostly made with piano keys. (that should give you some idea of the scale of these pieces)

I love found art (art made from found materials) and these just speak to me. I'll have to look into them for my mother. Just gorgeous. Michelle has a number of other found art sculptures on her website. The teapot is a little more up my alley.