Bark Beetles
Blister Beetles
Borers
Click Beetles
Firefly Beetles
Ground Beetles
Lady Beetles
Leaf Beetles
Longhorn Beetles
Pine and Spruce Beetles
Pleasing Fungus Beetles
Scarab Beetles
Soldier Beetles
Weevils and Snout Beetles
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 George Heath has been a cartoonist
sculptor for some 40 years. his work has appeared in art shows
and galleries up and down the West Coast and points inland. He has worked in wax, bronze, stoneware, porcelain and polymer clay. He is a past
president and current board member of Pacific NW Sculptors. Though a professional sculptor his education is in the sciences.
In the mid eighties experiments he was making a series of cartoon beetles using polymer clay. Encounters with trailside darkling beetles in
Arizona led to an effort to portray the same realistically. Darkling beetles, (the bombadier type), are striking creatures. About an inch long,
satiny jet black; approach one and it will stick it's butt up in the air and point it at you. They seem fearless. A little research into that
particular beetle opened up a world of subject matter. By the way, never, ever pick up
anything that points it's butt at you.
The whole thing now is about the real thing. There are 500,000 to 5,000,000 species of beetles. 500,000 have been named, the rest are yet to be
discovered. The real number is probably closer to the latter figure. The pollinate, they carry away the dead and our shit. They eat our crops and
eat those that eat our crops. They might be the size of pin point or 8" long. That's about
the relative size between you and aircraft carrier. Then there's the patterns and colors; there is no lacking of subject matter here.
The challenge here is accuracy. The satisfaction comes when the next beetle is just a little better then the one before. The fun is in having an
excuse to do them.
The artist lives in Portland Oregon.
Himself
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