My name is Gwendolyn Bird (they/them), and I’m a PhD student and research assistant at Auburn University. I study entomology, specifically the evolutionary ecology of herbivorous insects. Most of my work involves synthesizing publicly available data to answer overarching questions about what causes the extreme diversity of herbivorous insects. I also TA a scientific illustration class.
In my spare time (haha) I am an artist. Most recently, I’m working both on a series of little illustrated factoids about animal reproduction, but I’m also working on a number of infographics, including one about shark sex, one about the evolution of the eye, and one on the diversity of animal phyla. Much of my digital artwork is available on a variety of household goods and apparel at redbubble.
Most of these don’t have backgrounds. Whoops.
Besides the digital art, I also do a lot of physical art, mainly paper cutting. I make complicated layered cut paper shadow boxes as well as single layered pieces. I also frame preserved insects with layers of cut paper.
I also use the same techniques to cut out stencils and do stencil prints.
My work is available both locally at Southern Art and Makers Collective, and online at etsy.
birdoptera 