Celestial Compass

Artist: Shoosty® Year: 2023

Medium: Duplex Printed Ink on 18mm Silk Twill

Size: 36” x 36”

Description: A hand-drawn vector graphic of a water stridere on a circular stage with filigree on both sides. The water strider resembles a compass or a clock. The ability to walk on water is a remarkable feat of nature and physics.

A Literary Reflection on Water Bugs

Water bugs, have appeared in literature from classical times to the present day. Water bugs have been used in literature to represent both positive and negative qualities, such as harmony with nature, resilience, predation, and corruption.

Water bugs are remarkable for their ability to survive and thrive in various aquatic environments, sometimes even preying on larger animals like fish and frogs. Some authors have used water bugs as metaphors for human survival and evolution in hostile or alien worlds. For example, Frank Herbert (1920-1986), the author of Dune, wrote this passage about a giant water bug:

It was a giant water bug that had been caught by the sand tide and drowned. It was about two meters long with many legs along its sides and a wickedly curved tail that ended in a glittering crystal barb. Its head was triangular with many eyes along its edges. It looked like a creature from another planet.

Water bugs represent harmony in Japanese haiku poetry. For example, Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), one of the most famous haiku poets:

A water strider

Skims over the clear stream

The summer moon

Note - The thin lines of this design are a challenge for printers. They approach the smallest size the printers can reliably print. Finding the edge of your craft is the place where you cna find mastery. - Shoosty®