Insect Jewels

Tarantula
Elizabeth Goluch
sterling silver, gold, tourmaline

Canadian artist Elizabeth Goluch's precious metal insects double as treasure-boxes. From her website:

My fascination with nature in general and with insects in particular began while I was a child growing up on a farm in southwestern Ontario.

The work that I do reflects the influence of that environment -- the wildlife and the insects, as well the intricacy, the complexity and the order inherent in nature. I am drawn to the beauty, but also to the danger in nature. I relish the visible, yet can imagine much more; which gives rise to the construction of secret spaces containing their treasures that I create within each piece.

Bumblebee
Elizabeth Goluch
sterling silver, gold

The "treasures" sometimes cleverly pun on the name or associations of the insect - inside the ladybug's abdomen is a burning house; the carpenter ants hold a saw, hammer and nails; the dargonfly (green darner) holds a darning needle.

Dragonfly
Elizabeth Goluch
sterling silver, gold, moonstone, ceramit

Although her silver dragonfly is graceful enough to be elf jewelry - almost too pretty - Goluch doesn't shy away from the nastier species. Earwigs and cockroaches get their turn, and look remarkably yummy in lustrous precious metal.

Praying Mantis
Elizabeth Goluch
sterling silver, copper, gold

Via Planet Fabulon via feuilleton.