Cicada Reliquary by Mary Beth Boone -SOLD!

I often find parts of insects while gardening. I save many of these artifacts, since I am intrigued by their fragile and ephemeral beauty. This past Spring I created a suite of reliquaries in their honor. I began by drawing four insects—a butterfly, cicada, bee, and dragonfly. Once I had completed the drawings, I carved a linoleum block for each of the four. I intended to make a tunnel book for each insect using the prints; and then house the books within a hinged box. I letterpress printed multiple prints of each insect, as well as pressure prints to use for covering the boxes. I cut the insects into layers and made four small tunnel books. I then made a box with a hinged door and mica window for each book. A small mica window on each box top reveals an insect wing representing the insect within the box. I added vintage button feet and closures and cork paper embellishments. One must open a door to peer into the layered interior of each little insect shrine.