Found deer bone, driftwood, sand, acrylic on tiered panels. Price includes shipping in Canada. International shipping is unfortunately not available.

A fantasy jewel beetle flies over charred earth after a forest fire. The focus is on the hope of returning life. There is a type of jewel beetle that seeks out burned forests in order to lay their eggs in the smoldering wood. Offspring help to decompose the trees, making nutrients available to new plant life. Their tunnels provide space for fungi. Although matter changes form, life continues.

The iridescent beetle is made from found deer bones that I cleaned and sealed prior to painting. My respect for the animals deepened during hours of handling. The top portion of one skull became the main body, while a second skull forms the hard outer wings, or elytra. The inner wings are made from shoulder blades, while the legs are ribs. A single vertebra became the head. The textured matte black landscape is made from driftwood beach fire remnants, sand, and paper.