Jennifer Ivory

I grew up collecting insects and have an abiding love of all things bug related. In the spirit of conservation I stopped collecting in the early 90’s and instead turned my hand to making realistic insect models. Over the years I have refined my techniques and now use various types of drawing ink, acrylic paint, watercolor, heavy paper, digital media, transparency film and other up-cycled materials to achieve the high degree of realism my creations reflect today. People often believe my paper insects are quite real, necessitating my somewhat humorous disclaimers that no insects were harmed in the making of the artwork! There is something intriguing and sublime about the world of insects…their industry and adaptability; their often stunning appearance. I have found that if I take time to look closely there is an amazing breadth of beauty and astonishing capability waiting to be admired. I have been exhibiting my artwork for about 16 years now and never get tired of hearing the surprise in people’s voices & seeing the smiles on their faces when they first see my paper bugs. Often memories are triggered and a story ensues! I sincerely hope my artwork inspires people to pause for a moment every now and then to appreciate our insect neighbors; we are, after all, quite dependent upon them. Enjoy!