Doodlebugs and other Figures Of Speech

How beetles are like artists

Recently I noticed some similarities between beetles and artists. Beetles are essential for soil/plant health. Artists are essential for societal/cultural health. Beetles have a meandering way of moving. Creative ideas arrive through circuitous routes. Different species of beetles specialize in different soils/plants. Different artists also specialize… Well, I'm sure you're seeing the pattern of my loose association of ideas.

So for my current exhibit Figures Of Speech one of the familiar phrases I played with for my painting series is the way scientists lable aspects of the natural world “Genus ” and “Species”. As I painted I had fun merging the ideas of specific species behavior and types of creative mark making.

For example this painting below is titled “Genus: Doodlebug Species: Orange Square Beetle”

Here's a look at that same painting on my worktable being framed.

Here you see the framed painting and one of many sketchbook pages with doodlebugs in them. As a subscriber you'll have seen a few of these sketchbook pages and will likely see more as we go.

This one is titled “Genus: Doodlebug Species: Grey Long Line Beetle”

This one is titled “Genus: Doodlebug Species: Yellow Short Line Beetle”

Here's a video of “Yellow Short Line…” in progress.

This one is titled “Genus: Doodlebug Species: Blue Spiral Beetle”

This one is “Genus: Doodlebug Species: Green Paisley Beetle”

Creating this small series of doodlebugs within my larger “Figures Of Speech” series was a fun way to think specifically about how all kinds of species and all ways of making creative marks are essential to the health of our world.

Here's the artist statement I wrote for my upcoming fine art exhibit “Figures Of Speech”, the exhibit edition being held at the Burnt Bridge Cellars winery.

Heres a recent blog post I wrote about my process of writing an artist statement.

https://sueclancy.com/figures-of-speech-and-writing-artist-statements/

And here's the portfolio page about my exhibit with all of the artwork…I'll update this page but it's a start…

https://sueclancy.com/portfolio/figures-of-speech/

I'm in the active process of creating an artist book about my exhibit. I plan to share an ebook version of it with subscribers here when I get it finished. Please stay tuned. I like making these exhibit books because I have dear friends, living far away, who would come to my exhibit if they could. These books are ways to make my art exhibit available for them too! It's also a way for people to take my exhibit home with them so to speak.

Even though I'm very busy with my exhibit I am still taking time each morning to draw in my sketchbook. I just haven't taken the time to post much about them. Anyhoo here's a sketchbook page in progress…

Thanks again for reading and subscribing! I look forward to sharing the ebook about my exhibit Figures Of Speech when I get it done! If you just happened across this post please use the green button thingy below and subscribe so you'll get all the goodies too. Please share this newsletter with anyone who might enjoy seeing the exhibit or having the ebook. My hope is to have the ebook finished by the time my exhibit opens June 2nd. Wish me luck!!

I hope your weekend is pleasant!