Acrocinus longimanus (harlequin beetle), bamboo. All images © Noriyuki Saitoh, shared with permission Noriyuki Saitoh’s (previously) fascination with insects and painstaking attention to detail transforms delicate pieces of wood into intricate sculptures. Using a range of bamboo materials, including thin paper, he carefully carves the architecture of dragonfly wings, mantis legs, and beetle antennae. While […]
“Startsi,” Voynyagovo Village, Karlovo Municipality, Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria. All images © Ashley Suszczynski, shared with permission As a child, Ashley Suszczynski used to draw copiously in her school notebooks and escape into the chimerical worlds of books. “I loved the imaginative illustrations,” she tells Colossal. “Each story sent me into a new world, and I kind […]
“Mariner’s Tale.” All images © Andrea Spencer, shared with permission While a seaweed known as bladderwrack might not sound like something you’d want to eat, the unique kelp is in fact quite tasty and gets its name from small air pockets in its leaves akin to tiny bladders. For glass artist Andrea Spencer, the tendrils, […]
“Screen” (1979), cotton thread on linen cloth, 52 x 35 1/2 inches. All images courtesy of Tina Kim Gallery, shared with permission When artist Lee ShinJa was born in 1930 in Uljin, Korea, during a period of Japanese colonial rule, textile traditions were largely rooted in domestic uses and craft. But for Lee, who took in her […]
All images © Julie Beeler and Chronicle Books, shared with permission In terms of genes, humans are actually more closely related to mushrooms than plants! That’s because key characteristics—how we store energy, how our cells are built, and our ability to produce Vitamin D when exposed to the sunlight—are found in fungi but not trees […]
Tiny home living not only supports a less consumerist and more intentional lifestyle but also presents an opportunity to save money on housing costs. If you’ve dreamed about living in a tiny home but aren’t sure if it’s a good move for you or your family, test drive it by booking a few nights in […]
If you’ve ever wished you could live like royalty or spend the night in a giant shoe, Airbnb can make your dreams come true. While standard homes and condos are a dime a dozen on this short-term rental platform, many extraordinary dwellings are available. Read below for ten of the most unique Airbnbs across the […]
“Banana Split Plant” (2024), ceramic and underglaze, 28 x 14 x 10 inches. All images © Ariana Heinzman, courtesy of J. Rinehart Gallery, shared with permission Over the centuries, humanity’s relationship with wilderness has becoming increasingly fraught, as we continue to diminish natural green spaces in favor of roads, buildings, and manicured lawns. For Vashon […]
All images © Holly Guertin, shared with permission Two spirited lambs bound across a new wooly work by Philadelphia-based artist Holly Guertin. Inspired by a spring visit to a local farm, Guertin felted a pair of sprightly youngsters with striking detail. Pink lines their ears and noses, and their adolescent bodies are covered in tight, […]
All images © Olivia Walker, shared with permission Innumerable, wafer-thin layers of porcelain ripple into the collapsed sides of Olivia Walker’s vessels. The Devon-based artist throws small bowls on the wheel before affixing countless fragments that appear to rupture and spread across the forms. Layers are attached while leather-hard, the perfect pliability for sculpting growths evocative […]