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Laughing Mantis Studio

Art inspired by biology, created by a biologist

  • The Art of Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D.
    • Woodworking
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    • Pastel Pencil
    • Graphite Pencil
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“Brain-Computer Evolution Sculpture,” Daniel D. Brown, 1998

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  • “Brain-Computer Evolution Sculpture,” Daniel D. Brown, 1998

In this project we were instructed to sculpt the evolution of one thing to another in five steps. A brain to a computer seemed like a good idea at the time. Yes, those are what desktop computers looked like back then.

"Brain-Computer Evolution"
“Brain-Computer Evolution”
The Brain
The Brain
The Desktop Computer
The Desktop Computer

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September 30, 1998 LaughingMantisSculptureart, brain, clay, computer, evolution, sculpture

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We have recently become part of the “Homegrown N We have recently become part of the “Homegrown National Park” movement (@homegrownnationalpark), which involves the idea that 1) isolated parks simply aren’t enough to save much of our country’s biodiversity and 2) if individual homeowners make efforts to grow native plants and support native insects, birds, and other wildlife, together our residential areas can function as a habitat for a huge number of species. This can create biological corridors required for many species (migrating monarchs for example). For us, part of this involves replacing our ecologically dead and useless lawn with native plants. Given our amazing and unexpected story of the zebra swallowtail (see a few reels back in my feed or highlight on my profile) which happened simply because I planted a native tree, I decided it would be good to share the story with any neighbors who happen to walk by, and to make it clear why we are doing what we are to our lawn. We have also certified our backyard habitat with both @wildoneswpa and @audubonwesternpa and placed those signs in our yard for the same reason. We still have a long way to go. But despite what honestly doesn’t even look like much effort yet, we’ve already seen a MASSIVE increase in the number of bees, bugs, butterflies, and birds. Our property is a small urban lot in Pittsburgh. But we’ve already seen that it doesn’t take much to make an obvious difference. I hope to inspire at least a few others to do the same. In addition to helping wildlife, increasing native vegetation also 1) requires less water and maintenance than lawn (these plants evolved here!), 2) reduces stormwater & pesticide/fertilizer runoff (a major problem in PGH), 3) reduces the heat island effect in cities, and 4) sequesters more carbon. And probably more. I am NOT an expert in ANY of this. But I’m learning and still have soooo much I want to learn. This small butterfly intarsia was made of holly, wenge, and mahogany on 150 yr old white oak scraps and some cedar. (PS the second flip through is in case anyone wants to actually see what I wrote in it). Pyrography by @tam_a_ryn … #scrollsawart #conservation #butterfly #woodworking #nativeplants
When @theandrewmoore was writing his article about When @theandrewmoore was writing his article about our zebra swallowtail story for @nextpittsburgh, he asked for a shot of my family in our yard. Which we didn’t really have. Thankfully our good friend and neighbor Louis Barr (@zumaphotography412) is an amazing pro photographer. He literally ran over to our place with all his camera and lighting equipment that very evening and snapped these shots. These are definitely some of the best we’ve ever had taken, with both second and third place shots also taken by him over the past few years. Some of you may recall the “Sunflower Family” story that resulted in us meeting and befriending Louie and @bethanyann137. Long story short: they grew sunflowers in front of my bus stop, which made me happy, so I made them a wooden one and left it on their porch. Now we love their whole family (including @summerbabe3 & fam). Anyway, if you’re in Pittsburgh and ever want some good shots, hit him up. He knows his craft! And he makes hilarious “hey dog look at me” noises. Thanks, Louie. We’re forever grateful for you.
Zebra swallowtail! Long story, short: a butterfly Zebra swallowtail! Long story, short: a butterfly showed up in our backyard, I learned from @gobbism that it hadn’t been documented in Pittsburgh since 1937, we raised and released its babies, and the whole story took a life of its own and inspired me to build this wooden “intarsia” artwork, which now adorns our shed next to the butterfly enclosures I built. See my previous reel for the full story OR wait for the two articles that will be published simultaneously about it on September 12! Summary: plant natives plants and native wildlife will find you! Special thanks to @bmccracken922 for his integral part in the story assembling a bunch of naturalist nerds. As for this piece, the black is wenge wood, the white is American holly, and the red and light blue are dyed/watercolored holly. The antennae are mahogany and black walnut, and the eyes are walnut. This was a fairly complex work with 310 individual pieces hand cut on a scrollsaw, glued, carved/shaped, and sanded. All told, it took ~6 weeks to build in my spare time. … #woodworking #scrollsaw #scrollsawart #butterfly #lepidoptera #butterflyart #zebraswallowtail #homegrownnationalpark
Hopefully it’s okay I post this excerpt @copper_ Hopefully it’s okay I post this excerpt @copper_pig_fine_woodworking and @_callmemabie_ (no worries if not. I can remove). But this was such a heartwarming surprise for me today to see the family portrait I made for the Jaspers a few years ago make it into the excellent documentary by Justin Mabie: “Copper Pig Woodworking: Secrets of Fine Woodworking and Design”. Seriously this is a great documentary containing much learned wisdom - really even more on making meaning and purpose in life than on woodworking itself. This is is probably the most professionally captured photography AND description of anything I’ve made, so I thought it should be on my page! You can find this on YouTube, their pages, or my current stories.
It’s been slow going on this new project, as I’ve been spending a lot more time planting natives, cataloguing every single species of plant and animal I can find on our property - because a) nerd and b) Homegrown National Park @homegrownnationalpark, and of course doing the day job. If you don’t instantly know the inspiration for this piece, I highly recommend you watch my previous story, which I think has been viewed and shared more than anything else I’ve ever posted. Which is awesome, because making our own tiny property a haven for whatever native wildlife I can, and hopefully inspiring others to do the same, is far more important than any little wooden thing I make. … #zebraswallowtail #conservation #homegrownnationalpark #pittsburghwildlife #woodworking #scrollsawart #woodintarsia
The Zebra Swallowtail! This story serves as a posi The Zebra Swallowtail! This story serves as a positive example of the idea that “small efforts by many people” can help save our native ecosystems. In 2020 I upped my efforts to turn our yard into a wildlife-friendly habitat. This included planting pawpaw trees, which produce the largest native fruit in N.America and serve as the larval host for the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly. Last month @tam_a_ryn and I saw a flash of white and black in the backyard between us. I shouted, “That’s a zebra swallowtail! A woman in my chat group just posted about them!” In April, Brandon McCracken (IG: @bmccracken922), manager of ecological restoration for @pittsburghparks put together a chat group of local naturalists. In it, butterfly ambassador & field tech Gabrielle Marsden (IG: @gobbism) posted her efforts to increase pawpaw/swallowtail populations in Pittsburgh. But I missed the part about how the zebra swallowtail had disappeared here almost a CENTURY ago! With the rise of steel mills came the loss of pawpaw stands/zebra swallowtail hosts. I sent photos to the group & within minutes Gabrielle replied, “WHERE ARE YOU?!” The significance quickly became clear. Dr. Kevin Keegan, Manager of Collections in Invert. Zoology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History (@carnegiemnh), photographed and posted the last known collection from Pittsburgh in 1937 – 87 years ago! I spent the next morning building an enclosure & ended up with 30+ eggs & caterpillars. I fed & watched them develop from black wriggling things, molt through 5 instars, form into chrysalises, and fly off as gorgeous butterflies. I’m ecstatic to have brought so many people on the journey! It’s clear that many yearn for positive stories about our world. Is the beginning of their return to PGH? Unlikely. But our tiny plot of Pittsburgh serves as an example that if you create native habitat, life will find it. Importantly, many of the dwindling species on which we depend and the vast interconnected webs in which they exist will likely ONLY survive if we as individuals take steps to recreate and reconnect those habitats. My hope is that this story will inspire others to join the effort. #conservation #butterflies
I designed and built a couple outdoor side tables I designed and built a couple outdoor side tables from punky 4x4 cedar fence posts. They’re intended to sit on either side of our backyard patio swing. They came out to ~$30 each. Simple and functional! … #outdoorfurniture #woodworking #furnituredesign #gardendecor
Back in like 2008 (I think) I was an adjunct biolo Back in like 2008 (I think) I was an adjunct biology professor at @elonuniversity in North Carolina. In my welcome packet was a small pouch of Indian Blanket seeds (aka Firewheel; Gaillardia pulchella). I forgot about it until I found it in an old box 13 years later. I planted them in 2021 and lo and behold, some were still viable! They’ve been growing and reseeding ever since! I have a ton growing this year and they’ve had me considering delving back into stained glass for at least 1 piece. Then I saw @twolittlebirdsglass’s allium piece and knew I wanted something similar. After contacting her, she graciously gave me permission to blatantly rip off her design since it’s a one-off personal project 😂. I made the design myself and tried to make it a bit more my own. But it’s still more or less the same. And I love it! I used the old glass I still had lying around. I also used lead-free solder for the first time since it’ll be around our gardens. And wow the message boards weren’t lying when they said it’s a pain to work with (at least for a novice like me). It also didn’t hold the patina very well. All that being said, I’m super stoked with how it turned out and happy to have it in our yard. … #stainedglass #blanketflower #firewheel #gardendecor
You’ve already seen all these guys. I just wante You’ve already seen all these guys. I just wanted a photo with them all together on my feed since I had them out for a refinish. I recently made Hestu (the big guy) and I made the little guys last year. These are Koroks (tree fairies) from The “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom”. They hang out in my garden. The little ones are a bit weathered, but still whimsical. Carved from black locust and a bit of curly maple. … #scrollsaw #powercarving #woodcarving #legendofzelda #breathofthewild #tearsofthekingdom #korok #woodworking
I carved Hestu the Korok (tree fairy) from the Leg I carved Hestu the Korok (tree fairy) from the Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom because I’m apparently really into garden decor. He will now look over the three smaller Koroks I made last year for me and my neighbor friend. Made from black locust and curly maple. … #scrollsaw #powercarving #woodsculpture #woodcarving #legendofzelda #breathofthewild #tearsofthekingdom #korok
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