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Dolphin icon Fiery Searcher in the Leaves

Fiery Searcher in the Leaves Exhibit Display
Fiery Searcher in the Leaves | 2023
Animation loop to be seen with handmade kaleidoscope. 3 sec
Beetle: cardstock, washable marker, and cellophane. Kaleidoscope: cardboard, acrylic, and glass.

A brief animation of a caterpillar hunter beetle, also known as a fiery searcher or calosoma scrutator, scuttling through the autumn underbrush. Caterpillar hunters are a plentiful species of ground beetle native to north Texas, and they fascinate me to no end! The hard shells covering their wings, called elytra, can sport an array of colors including green, blue, violet, gold, and red. While searching for an insect to use as a subject for my animation, the bright colors of the aptly named fiery searcher caught my eye and I immediately fell in love with it.
I wanted people to view this beetle’s walk cycle through a kaleidoscope to emphasize the hypnotic colors they often sport. I have always been interested in the anatomy of different animal species, to the point where I took up taxidermy as a hobby during the pandemic. I wanted to blend that curiosity with my passion for animation as an art form and this is the result so far.


The material I use is the factor dictating how my character moves. I prefer to use paper puppets that are held together with pins at the joints. Lotte Reiniger is a huge inspiration when I picture how I want my animations to look.
Although these artworks may all look quite different from one another and tell very different stories, the are all elevated by the inherently expressive nature of animation.

Animation is a perfect medium for storytelling quote symbol

Mickey Dolphin
Mickey Dolphin
Nationality: American
University of Texas at Dallas

Mickey Dolphin is currently a student at the University of Texas at Dallas in the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology. They are a member of the experimenta.l. Animation Lab and enjoy making vibrant short films using paper puppets and other materials.