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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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    • 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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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. | Breast Cancer Research Scientist
Woodworker/Artist
Husband to @tamarynart.
AKA: @danieldbrownphd
Pittsburgh, PA.
May I present “Freddie Chirpury” the song spar May I present “Freddie Chirpury” the song sparrow! Named by @tam_a_ryn, he’s ruled our backyard since we moved in 4 yrs ago. He lives a hard life. He’s been forced to raise many a brown-headed cowbird (obligate brood parasites). We’ve seen his chicks brutally snatched by our resident blue jay Hunter multiple times. He always looks rough and disheveled by the end of the summer from trying to raise 3 broods of chicks. One year he tried to do it alone after his lady disappeared. He only successfully fledged the cowbird that time, who was twice his size. But despite the failures, loss, and constant work just to survive, he keeps on keeping on, singing right outside our bedroom all year, year after year. Unlike the ubiquitous and non-native house sparrows, song sparrow couples are solitary and tend to pick a territory and stick to it, defending and constantly shouting their ownership (the male anyway). This is their “song,” a repeating glorious aria declaring “this is mine, bitch, so stay the hell out!” Of course there’s some love song mixed in there as well. One fascinating fact I learned from watching them: once they’ve begun nesting/chick-rearing, the male and female make constant little “Marco”… “Polo” squeaks, basically pinging each other to maintain contact and location awareness. “Right here. All is well,” back and forth all day every day. I’ve also learned that their voices are distinct. The others in the neighborhood just sound different to me now. Based on a beautiful photo by Jared McCall @jaredm871 @ingrainednaturecreations, I initially designed it to have branches and a full background. But this clef design popped into my head. My wife’s excitement when I showed her cemented it, and I ditched the old version. Built from 11 species, all cut on #scrollsaw: black walnut, Peruvian walnut, spalted maple, curly maple, tree of Heaven, wenge, sapele, black locust, holly, ebony, with a cherry clef. … #scrollsawart #intarsia #woodsculpture #woodintarsia #birdsofinstagram #songsparrow #woodart #woodworking #homedecor
Chirp chirp. I’m a bird nerd. Background is temp Chirp chirp. I’m a bird nerd. Background is temporary. Water-spritzed for color preview. #songsparrow
I started a new project today: this song sparrow n I started a new project today: this song sparrow named “Freddie Chirpury” by my wife @tam_a_ryn. Because, you know, he’s a SONG sparrow 😂. If you follow my stories, you’ve probably seen the real Freddie once or twice over the past few years. I talk about him, his songs, and his trials and tribulations all the time. He has ruled our backyard since we moved in, he’s ever-present, and he defends our territory aggressively. I was originally gonna make a piece based on an actual photo of him, but I came across this song sparrow photo by my IG buddy, fellow woodworker, and photog @jaredm871 @ingrainednaturecreations and decided it would make a better artwork, with his permission (swipe). Anyway, I took the day off and posted a billion stories on the process (highlighted on profile). This is the day’s progress. … #scrollsawart #scrollsaw #intarsia #woodsculpture #woodintarsia #birdsofinstagram #songsparrow
Impromptu project: helping my neighbor Austin turn Impromptu project: helping my neighbor Austin turn a couple slabs of red cedar her step-dad cut over 20 years ago into side tables. Basically she asked if I could help so I told her to bring em over and I’d give em a look and see what we could do with them. They were very roughly chainsawed and need a LOT of flattening, but they’re obviously gorgeous and I want to keep them🤣. My router jig is too small (the slabs are at least 24” at their widest), so the first thing I did was have her help me make a bigger jig. She’s quite handy - she just doesn’t have the tools I have. We both then made a bunch of passes with the router, just using 2x4s to prop up the jig. Still a ways to go, but these will look damn fine when done I think. She wants to use hairpin legs, which I think is probably best and easiest in this situation. … #diyfurniture #woodworking #redcedar
Now available! The “Making, Our Way” podcast ( Now available! The “Making, Our Way” podcast (@makingourwaypodcast) featuring me talking about my projects with @dean_duplantis, @twistedtwinewoodworking, and @highcalibercraftsmanbuilds. I must admit I was more than a little nervous at the outset. I’m not sure I still know how to talk to people in general, much less in a focused, entertaining way. But you know what, from the moment we began, the time just flew by and I was shocked when it was over. Dean, Christy, and Austin are excellent hosts and I genuinely would have enjoyed just shooting the shit with them for another couple hours over drinks. I believe the podcast is available on all the regular platforms: apple, Spotify, etc. Link in bio. … #scrollsawart #podcasts #woodworking #makersgonnamake
Here’s an appropriate follow from my previous wo Here’s an appropriate follow from my previous wooden squirrel post. The in-laws recently gave us a picnic table squirrel feeder, which the squirrels promptly destroyed (it was unfinished pine and drywall screws). I decided to make a slightly sturdier version out of some old wormy cherry from my boss. It’s pretty wood, but the very large number of worm holes makes it unusable for most things. I also made an extra table for the “Sunflower family,” @bethanyann137 and fam, with whom we’ve basically become instant BFFs (see my sunflower post a few back for that story). Anyway, I just quickly looked at the dimensions of the previously destroyed one and made a rough replica design. The whole process was only ~2-3 hours including some glue curing steps. Swipe for making of and the table “in use”. 😂 … #squirrelfeeder #picnictable #woodworkingforanimals
“Squirrel Bill” is complete! As most of you wh “Squirrel Bill” is complete! As most of you who’ve seen any of my stories over the past year know, @tam_a_ryn spent the pandemic becoming a Disney princess. It took a while but she eventually got the squirrels eating out of her hands. We’ve fed them an absolutely ridiculous amount of walnuts and pecans over the past 18 months, so we have quite the healthy population in our backyard now. Obviously it was time to make a wooden squirrel intarsia piece. Squirrel Bill (who she named after our Pittsburgh neighborhood of “Squirrel Hill”) is constructed of mostly wood I scavenged myself from Squirrel Hill. Some elm, crab apple, spalted holly, walnut, and a teensy bit of ebony and mahogany (neither from here of course). … #scrollsawart #scrollsaw #squirrelsofinstagram #squirrel #woodsculpture #woodintarsia
An important thing to remember when doing somethin An important thing to remember when doing something creative, especially when it’s just for fun: if you don’t like something, don’t be afraid to just trash it and start over. Here I had already cut, shaped, and glued the 3 pieces of cherry that were to be the tree upon which Mr. Squirrel sits. I was planning to build a frame around it with the cherry in the bottom left corner and the background open. But I decided I hated the composition of it. I glanced around my shop at all the rough cut logs lying around (which mostly came from Squirrel Hill) and thought, why isn’t he just perching on a slab that I scavenged and milled? So now I’m going through my lumber to find just the right piece. I think I’ve settled on this beautiful crab apple tree that was brutally murdered by millions of ants. I’m already happier with it. I think. … #scrollsawart #creativity
New project started. Getting the pieces cut is onl New project started. Getting the pieces cut is only half the work. Next up: shaping and depth. I’m making this from 90% scavenged wood from our “Squirrel Hill” neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Seemed fitting. I’m not even certain of the species though I highly suspect it’s elm. #squirrel #squirrelhill #scrollsawart #scrollsaw #intarsia #woodsculpture
A block from our house lives a couple with 2 daugh A block from our house lives a couple with 2 daughters. We’ve never actually met them, though we’ve said “hi” or exchanged nods many times when we used to walk Bandit by their house (he loved their corner). Every year they plant a long beautiful row of sunflowers directly across from my bus stop, which makes my morning commute significantly brighter. The girls also regularly decorate the sidewalk with chalk drawings. More than once they’ve left a question or greeting on the sidewalk for passers by, and @tam_a_ryn has responded with her own drawings (we may have bought chalk solely for this purpose). Basically, they make our neighborhood a happier place. This was particularly helpful when walks around the neighborhood were all we had during covid and Bandit’s decline at the end. So I decided to make a simple sunflower and leave it on their porch. I intended for it to be even simpler and quicker than this… but many of you know how that usually goes for me. I assume they’ll find me here and see this. So I’ll just say: Hi neighbors! We’re Daniel and Tamaryn. Thanks for brightening up the neighborhood! I made this “intarsia” over 3 days from yellowheart (also called “pau amarello”; from Brazil) and black walnut from our neighborhood. No paint/stain. The simple center patterned was burned via pyrography. It’s finished with oil only. It will probably end up weathering outside, but that’s the nature of wood, and it could end up even prettier with age. Or it could fall apart. lol. It’s a mystery! Slap some more oil on it next year to revitalize it. Or let the girls paint it. Or just let nature slowly reclaim it. If you want to see the whole process of how I made it, click on the “sunflower” highlight on my profile. … #scrollsawart #scrollsaw #intarsia #woodworking #woodart #sunflower #gooddeed #payitforward
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