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Computer Component Bugs, Julie Alice Chappell, upcycled sculpture, upcycled electronics, environmental art, insect sculptures, e-waste, electronic waste, discarded electronic art,

Chappell first began tinkering with the idea of making insect miniatures out of discarded electronics several years ago when she experimented with donated electronic scrap at “The Craft Bank,” a Portsmouth arts center that collects and distributes donated craft material. She took a few pieces home to make ant sculptures with her children. It wasn’t until years later, however, that she revisited the idea for an environmental art project that’s since expanded into an Etsy business.

Related: Andy Avalar Repurposes E-Waste to Create Colorful Recycled Artworks

“The recycled bits of cultural refuse that are woven throughout my work represent a direct encounter with the excesses of modern living highlighting the dangers of planned obsolescence and e-waste in the environment,” Chappell said to My Modern Met. “The work displays an aesthetic beauty whilst offering a socio-political discourse, attempting to reclaim waste and the destruction of the natural world, in the beauty of visual art.” Chappell’s beautiful and colorful upcycled sculptures include a variety of insect types, from butterflies to cicadas. Her artwork is available for purchase on Etsy.

+ Julie Alice Chappell

Via My Modern Met

Images via Julie Alice Chappell Facebook