Tiny Footprints :: Insects in Art - Eva Varga

We enjoyed the most wonderful exhibit recently, Tiny Footprints by Pamela Cole.  I have always been fond of insects and have particularly enjoyed teaching children about the fascinating world of insects and their arthropod cousins. It is no wonder that this exhibit was one of the most intriguing exhibits I have ever seen.

A life-long avocational entomologist, Cole works with live insects to create unique watercolors and uses sustainably farmed insects as a medium to explore the aesthetic qualities of these amazing and colorful creatures upon which we depend for everything from pollination to clean-up.  The Tiny Footprints exhibit enabled us to explore in-depth, three dimensional pieces like “Bug Dollhouse” and “Chess Set”.  We marveled at her bionic bugs inspired by children’s wind-up toys and the popular steam-punk literary genre

Geneva’s favorite pieces were the table setting and bionic bugs.  Jeffrey most enjoyed “Bug Dollhouse”.  The piece that was most appealing to me was “Drawer of Discovery” which used Caddisfly cases, Silk Moth cocoons, and Cicada molts.  Her work has inspired us to explore insects in art more closely ourselves.

If you are interested in exploring entomology (study of insects) in more depth, I encourage you to check out my unit study, Introductory Entomology. Students will be introduced to this remarkable subphylum through hands-on activities, real life simulations, and multi-media presentations. The six-week unit incorporates more than 10 entomology lessons for kids and suggested extension activities.