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I found my older drawings from Salt Spring Island that launched me into my mechanical insect creations. I mentioned them in last months Blog about Dragon Flies and I wanted to show a process I followed to arrive at my end solutions.

Most people think the Elephant Hawk Moth got its name because of its size. Like the elephant, this moth is BIG in comparison to others. The shape of its caterpillar body is similar to the shape of an elephant’s trunk, hence the name. Usually found in the United Kingdom, they made their way to British Columbia via collections and displays.

Brock David Tebbutt, a self-taught artist born in Victoria, British Columbia, was inspired by others at the Western Front to assume a pseudonym. He changed his name to Joe Average.
He was diagnosed with AIDS at the age of 27 after which he decided to develop and live off his art. He is a self-proclaimed advocate of various charities, such as A Loving Spoonful and he has dedicated many pieces to support these causes.
Styles that influenced him were West Coast indigenous artists who use areas of colour and curving lines and by “Pop Art” which included artists such as Peter Max. Like the Elephant Hawk Moth, Joe Average is best known for his bright colours.

Joe Average