Sculptor Mike Libby once found a dead beetle and got to thinking about how it had moved. He began dissecting and experimenting — at the same time taking apart an old wristwatch, and using those pieces — until he’d come up with the first of an ongoing collection of fantastical steampunk arachnids, bees and other creepy crawlies. He uses
real insect carcasses and bits from watches, vintage typewriters and old sewing machines to fashion carapaces, wings, antennae and pincers for his mechanical menagerie. (www.insectlabstudio.com ) As Aristotle put it: “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” ■
In this photo provided by Insect Lab, inspired by science fiction and science fact, Insectlab.com customizes preserved insect specimens, such as this dragonfly, with antique watch parts and mechanical components. AP
This photo provided by Voutsa.com shows George Voutsa’s hand drawn butterflies that flit with across a vibrant background in a wallpaper that’s part of a series that includes also octopi, birds and flowers. As he says, "The walls come alive.” AP
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