Friday, June 20, 2014

Insect Studies


 or
"Tis the Season... and I Don't Mean Christmas!'

Cicada

Termite
Butterfly
Beetle
Phylum, Class, Order
Mosquito
Mayfly
Earwig
Caddisfly
Bumble Bee
Bug
House Fly
Flea
Hessian Fly
Grasshopper
Midge
Deer Fly
Fire Fly
Wasp Ant Bee
Dragon Fly
Stone Fly

Black Fly
Damsel Fly
Dobson Fly

I find Insects exceedingly interesting... especially in terms of drawing.. the good, the bad and the ugly.
...their structures, wings, antennae, eyes, legs, every part of them... pretty amazing...  so many tiny distinct parts.... like little patterns.....so much variety...

I mean, imagine if there were this many varieties of Human Beings.... Just Imagine... 
 but NO, there's only One of us.. all the same under the skin....  
when you think of it that way there is probably much more chance of survival for insects than for us human beings, as one deadly virus could wipe all of us out because we are only one species.

Insects have a definite advantage in the long run.
.. but till then, the birds, frogs and snakes can eat all the bad ones they want.

approx. 9" x 12", pen, ink, wash, brush in my sketchbook.
Gwen Buchanan, Desideratum Art and Jewelry Studio, New Brunswick, Canada

20 comments:

Lynne with an e said...

These critters positively dance on the page! Be careful you don't squish them all when you flip your book closed.

Linda H said...

You are so talented Gwen. Your drawings are exquisite, even when they are of insects.

Guillaume said...

Cool! I love the grasshopper and the dragonfly particularly.

WILDSIDE said...

Simply wowed...

Gwen Buchanan said...

Lynne with an e, Flat as a pancake.

Thank you Linda, A change is as good as a rest, I always say.

Guillaume, I think the Grasshopper suits you perfectly.

Wildside, I like the way your orchard went awry... I believe these bugs would like to live there now.

George said...

Once again, I can only say that I greatly admire your talent, skill, and artistry. There is something in these hand-wrought drawings that is special and evocative in a unique way. Perhaps it is the fact that one species is studying another species, and passing on what is learned to others. Perhaps its a way of recognizing the interconnectedness of all creatures. Whatever the case, you've done a magnificent job with these renderings.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you George, You have a wonderfully descriptive way with words!... rather like music!

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

I am not an insect person and I have to admit to clicking over with some trepidation when I saw the title of your latest post! Your Canadian mosquitos in particular have wreaked havoc with my histamines in the past - blisters so big on my ankles that people stopped and stared as I walked around downtown Toronto!

But your insects are beautiful. Well, some I would rather not look at... But the butterfly, dragonfly, bee, firefly and cicada look safe enough....! It seems you can turn your artist's hand to anything.

Gwen Buchanan said...

You are a brave girl, Janice!! My sister used to have reactions to mosquitoes just like you. Mom would plaster her with baking soda. That's where the birds and snakes(which freak me out but I know they are valuable) and frogs come in handy.

WILDSIDE said...

Thanks for making feel a little more secure about enjoying the deer more than my nearly abandoned orchard efforts -- truly needed that! Because I honest do love the new wild view so much more -- but others around would think it untidy and irresponsible. But I see more birds & other little mammals enjoying it, dragonflies too -- but need to focus down to see all the insects you do! (They are fantastic!)

Thanks too for the link to the living history show -- been enjoying the entire series the past few days (ought to be getting more things done!)...

Gwen Buchanan said...

You're welcome Wildside. I believe the skills and the things this series shows are valuable for everyone to learn. It was recommended by Jack Spirko author and podcaster of "The Survival Podcast". Now there is a fellow filled to the brim with knowledge. It is worth going over all of his past podcasts for the knowledge therein.

WILDSIDE said...

I have been back quite a bit the past few days to look at things in your sidebar! I know you probably can see that, but just wanted to say I am so amazed by all your talents shown here! And how you find time to slow down to create such beauty in what you do... Haven't nearly seen it all yet.

I decidedly lack talent, but this post about insects reminded me that I used to be able to draw somewhat and often was asked to create the pictures for publications -- and once even of itty-bitty bugs we found doing intertidal surveys for what was to be a reclaimed quarry (reclaimed by the tides and nature, that is!)... What is there to see if we can just focus down and appreciate a bit!

Good luck selling your art house -- it must be a difficult emotion letting something like that, so very special, go!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Wildside, Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
Nature always tries to take back what was originally hers, doesn't she? and that is probably a good thing. She takes better care of it than we humans... and knows better what its purpose is.

I tried to reply and leave a comment on your blog also but I couldn't find the icon to do so.

It was our total romantic thoughts of building, making our home here and staying here forever .. but time has its own idea of how lives progress... and there is no standing still. It is all an exciting process!

WILDSIDE said...

Thank you, Gwen! I'll try to stop so much commenting soon...

I keep coming back in snippets of time -- there is so much to see here! Your photos, your art, your links... Thru your blog I finally get to see the Bay of Fundy -- what an awesome place it is. And I popped over to view some winter landscape photos over at your husband's site -- stunning to see the snow falling like big downy feathers -- ours tends to be gloppy wet & heavy... (But still I like.)

Wish I had your talents!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful pictures. It makes me wonder why people aren't into insect-spotting as much as they're into bird-watching.

Gwen Buchanan said...

sackerson, That is a very interesting observation!
I believe modern man is out of touch with much the natural world has to offer and many have become too citified.

Faye Henry said...

Your talent always amazes me Gwen... You are right, though, we are all the same under the skin.. We all have hearts that are turned to the Creator if we allow them.. xo

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Faye, I remember when my youngest son was a baby crawling on the floor, an ant made its way into the house and he kept crawling along the floor following and examining it and touching it with the greatest delicacy, but never enough to squish it. He found it fascinating... and just a baby who wasn't even walking... I'll never forget those images in my mind.
.. we learn from the cradle to the grave. I am grateful for that.

Sharmon Davidson said...

Your bugs have so much personality! Love them!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thanks Sharmon, some for better, some for worse.