Patchwork Leafcutter Bee
2026· Digital illustration· Society of the Silent Wing· Insects
Curator’s Notes
The Patchwork Leafcutter Bee works tirelessly to cut leaves and line it’s nest. It cuts sections of leaf, rolls them into a tube, lines it with pollen and lays an egg. Multiple eggs are then sealed in the nest with more pieces of leaf.
Artist's Notes
The Patchwork Leafcutter design was born of trauma. Sitting in the garden I’d noticed what I thought was a solitary wasp building a nest, so I removed it. Only to subsequently realise it was a Leafcutter Bee. I felt terrible, and decided then that the bee would be my next piece.
I’m not completely happy with how the lateral view came out with this one, and I considered removing it completely. I may go back to it at some stage in the future.