True Bugs

i'm a fan of stink bugs, assassin bugs, and here in florida we have the leaf footed bug--they're true bugs, not insects and i think they're cute.  a couple of years ago i spotted a leaf footed bug (called that because of the flaring bell bottoms the wear on their back legs) on the fence in my yard.  it reminded me of stink bugs growing up which i was sort of fond of... i liked a lot of crawling things as a kid, roly-poly pill bugs, praying mantis, daddy long legs ... i still do i guess.  i just did a quick search of my image libraries on my computer and found a lot of bug/insect/creepy crawly inspired art so here are a few, enjoy! and if you see a bug don't squash it!*

  

PS also in addition to being a 'bugs are beautiful' post, i think this goes to show that art can be about little things, things that are seemingly insignificant but that really are what make life magical so don't always be so caught up in giant concepts or ideology when nature is right there waiting to inspire you. 

* THE EXCEPTION TO THE NO SQUASHING RULE: Palmetto bugs! if you see one of those i encourage you to squash the snot out of those suckers YUCK!!!!!

it's the little things

as a kid in summer one of the most remarkable things to see for me was a praying mantis in the yard...  sure we had daddy long legs and fire flies but a mantis was a specialty, uncommon and exciting.  i guess i've never gotten over that as i've made many mantis inspired artworks as an adult, all without realizing any pattern. who knew i was repeating myself? apparently true inspiration maintains itself over decades. and who wouldn't be inspired by such magical things as a mantis?