On display in our Gallery for the months of July & August will be a collection of technical illustration prints by Shepherd Myers of the adult and nymph insects found in and around aquatic environments.  These are inspired by observing the fly fishermen in the Housatonic River around West Cornwall.  The drawings reveal in great detail the splendor and uniqueness of these small animals such as mayfly, stonefly nymphs, or dobsonfly adults.

These insects are chosen primarily for their graphic uniqueness, not based on the formal topic of study, but generally for sharing the commonality of being used as biomarkers of watershed health.  Most technical illustrations disappear into esoteric research journals.  This exhibit allows a much wider audience to appreciate the rendering of them. The original art work is all done by hand, carefully stippled, and required tens of hours (some of over a hundred).

Shepherd is an entomologist and illustrator who previously was the Collection Manager at the The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum for over a decade in Honolulu.  At fourteen million specimens, it is the largest Pacific Rim and the third largest insect collection in the United States.  He has done extensive science outreach with school groups, class room visits, at fairs, festivals, etc, and enjoys teaching as much as working with research and collections.  He also had his illustrations, photo and technical figures published in peer reviewed journals.