Agents of Nature

Throughout history and across cultures, insects have inspired artists to create artwork that celebrates the beauty of and challenges viewers to shift their perspectives on these magnificent and essential creatures. Insects are everywhere. Three out of four species on Earth are insects. They are, by far, the most common animals on our planet: more than 1.5 million species of insects have been identified. Without insects, our lives would be vastly different. Insects pollinate our fruits, flowers, and vegetables. They are essential as primary or secondary decomposers, and they are a major food source for amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Shannon Amidon's exhibit Agents of Nature is a love letter to the critical roles that insects play in the environment. Her elegant works made from a variety of natural elements such as encaustic, gold leaf, pyrite, insect wings, and vintage ephemera celebrate the many contributions insects make to the natural world. These numerous and delicate pieces hold a hint of warning of what can be lost to future generations.  Her emphatic use of encaustic is particularly poignant as this ancient medium of molten beeswax used throughout history since the ancient Greek and Egyptian times cannot exist without the survival of bees. By portraying the cycles of life, death, and impermanence in her work, Amidon calls attention to the importance of insects, inviting viewers to see nature not as a backdrop but as a vital element of our existence.