Curiosity Series: Hamadryas amphinome

Title: Curiosity Series: Hamadryas amphinome
Year Created: 2013
Dimensions: L 6.5” x W 4.25” x T 2.5” closed (book and box open to showcase collage envronment)
Materials Used: wild silkworm chrysalis, seed, flower pod, found lace scraps, almanac piece
Handmade Papers used: silk bookcloth, found historical documents, butterfly specimen, porcupine needle, seed pods and stems, hand-made papers 
Media Methods: letterpress printed booklet and handwritten annotations

Description of the book form:
This sculptural artist book integrates a wooden-framed collage of specimens and found natural elements, creating a three-dimensional environment that tells a visual narrative. Serving as a cover for the frame, a hardcover foldout book opens to reveal both a concise history of cabinets of curiosities and an illustrated diagram detailing the objects contained within the display.

Description of the Series:
My sculptural artist books within the Specimen Series are deeply rooted in natural forms and the traces left behind by plant and animal life. Many of these works draw on the history and visual sensibility of cabinets of curiosities, creating a dialogue between observation, collection, and artistic interpretation.

The chrysalis captivated me both as a discrete form and as a symbol of transformation. Its structure embodies the beauty inherent in natural remnants—the vacated pod marking the passage from creation to decay. I am continually fascinated by the diversity of pod forms, the intricacy of their construction, and the ways similar shapes emerge across species, revealing a shared geometry of transformation.

Originally conceived as sculptural studies of chrysalis forms, the series has expanded into a broader exploration of connections between plant, animal, and handmade papers. Through this ongoing investigation, the works weave together natural history, material experimentation, and the poetic possibilities of remnants, creating foldout pieces that unite collage, text, and illustration into a single contemplative experience.