Our Story
Weevil Little Worlds
Most people love butterflies, or at least have zero hesitation about displaying them in their homes. Many, but fewer, find "bugs" cool. Pairing the "bugs" and butterflies with complementary paper transforms them and makes them accessible beyond those of us who already enjoy museum-looking specimens on our walls. I hope that my art makes someone who might otherwise not want a "bug" on their wall, see the beauty and artistry within these incredible specimens. AND, I hope my art sparks joy, because they bring me so much joy, from choosing the specimens, pairing them, and seeing the vision come to life over the course of the process!
Madison Myers
The Artist
I’m Madison, and I’ve been a lover of insects and butterflies for most of my life! I came to Colorado to study zoology, to eventually focus on lepidopterology (butterflies), but hated the structure of biology classes and switched to English instead. Now I'm a college English professor, but I still love bugs of all kinds! I have lots of framed insects and oddities in my home, a butterfly tattoo (and many more pinned to my "Future Tattoos" board), and vast and specific knowledge about weevils (thank you neurodivergent special interests!). After getting diagnosed with ADHD, I expressed that, yes this makes sense. I have always loved butterflies, and I have all of the things to pin and make them, and SO MANY SPECIMENS, but I've never taken the step and actually done it. I was encouraged to take some classes (body-doubling), which led me to actually begin making art.
About the Bugs
All of the bugs are purchased from sellers who guarantee ethical sourcing. I specifically purchase specimens from sellers who support sustainable practices that value and protect vulnerable wildlife populations and that aid in preserving natural habitats from deforestation through ethical butterfly and insect farming.
Each bug tells a story, has a personality, and becomes a piece of art.
About the Process
Every piece starts long before the frame.
I spend time with the bugs first, deciding which ones are ready for new life. Then comes the search for the perfect paper. It’s an alchemy, bringing two beautiful things together until they become something more than either. I choose each paper deliberately, pairing it with the specimen until something clicks. Acid-free, archival, made to last.
There’s a relaxing chamber, a spreading board, a lot of pins, and a lot of patience between here and the finished thing that stands on the shelf or hangs on the wall.
This is how Weevil Little World gets made.
