One could say that I am fascinated with arthropods, specifically insects. This would be an understatement. Frequent visits to museums and libraries during my youth instilled in me an interest in glass covered displays and the habit of amassing curio collections. It is no mystery why the cabinets of Victorian wealthy were filled with such specimens. Insects, and arthropods in general, are nature's finest masterpieces. Today, this type of interest  must be ethically and sustainably procured. No longer can we thoughtlessly preserve that which we find fanciful. Like all natural curiosities, overindulgence and improper methods of acquirement can be detrimental to insect populations. So critical are these little creatures, that when their populations experience negative pressure, entire ecosystems fail.

 

I have been pinning and arranging specimens for more than 25 years. My techniques have matured with experience. Rarely do I use "insect pins", disliking the exoskeleton wounds they leave. Compositional parameters have widened, resulting in a great diversity of dimensionality, configuration, and biotic diversity among my pieces. Other elements, minerals and discarded man-made materials, may serve as suitable substrates. As always, I am considerate of sources - utilizing only ethically harvested materials whose collection serves to benefit the environment. When an income can be generated raising and selling insects on native plants, forests are not cut down. A standing forest protects so much more than its arthropod diversity. Perhaps, insects are even more important than presently acknowledged.