If nature has a favorite, it’s probably beetles. About 25% of all known animal species are beetles. They can be found in every environment on our globe, from arid deserts to the ocean floor. They range in size from .25mm to 1m and have an astounding array of colors, shapes, and textures. Although our last shared ancestor dates back to the Proterozoic era, humanity simply could not exist without the beetle.

I first started painting beetles in 2011 when I was an undergraduate at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, MI. My mentor encouraged me to sketch beetles as an exercise in “circling the square”. I found that I really enjoyed the repetition of creating various forms of beetles, so I made it my practice to paint a handful every week. Over the years, I have painted hundreds of beetles.

I like to start my paintings with a reference image from “The Book of Beetles” to get the shape, and then I add my own whimsical selection of colors. When I complete a painting, I like to imagine the beetle peering back at me and telling me its name. No matter how many beetles I make and meet, there will always be more real beetles crawling around our globe, just living their best beetle lives.

The show can be viewed anytime in the Hank & Dolly's Gallery through the month of July: Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The works can also be viewed and purchased on our online gallery through August.