iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

This piece is called “Deer Resistant My Ass!” We have a few painted rocks around our garden. After deer browsed my evening primrose literally the day I planted it, I thought about a rock with this quote. Then was like “wait. I have a bandsaw.” #nativeplants #starwars #failure Oenothera biennis

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

I found a dead fly in my yard. Turns out it’s zombie fly infected with a fungus that makes it find a high perch, spread its legs/wings, die, and release fungal spores below. I’ve found 3 now, with 1 shipped to @zombiflied.bsky.social at Harvard for science! Just in time for Last of Us finale! 😂

A fly infected with a zombie-making fungus, with the fungus erupted between abdominal segments.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

It happened! At least 4 of the 32 zebra swallowtail #butterfly chrysalises that overwintered survived (maybe all). The 1st eclosed today! This shot was NOT planned. 3 more coming in the next 1-2 days. All offspring of this single mom: www.publicsource.org/zebra-swallo... #pawpaw #nativeplants

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Another tiny strip of lawn I’ll never mow again! The other side is neighbor‘s lawn. Shrubby St. John’s wort + foxglove beardtongue from seed. I’ve solarized w/cardboard/mulch around plantings before. Works well enough. If the deer strike and I need to replace, well the hard part’s done.

New garden bed being solarized around native plantings.

Turf lawn before-shot. With some holes dug.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Before and after. Evening primrose grown from seed in my basement. 😂 #nativeplants #gardening #eveningprimrose #deer

Beautiful evening primrose fully leafed out.

A lonely evening primrose cane stripped of leaves with a sign hanging that says “Nice try, sucker! -DEER”

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Made a new #hobbit hole for our front garden. Partly to make kids/parents smile when they walk by. But mainly to make myself smile. Scrap fence cedar and acrylic paint. It’ll look better with real plants around it I think. Pieces cut on #scrollsaw. #woodworking #geekart

Blue painted hobbit hole nestled in the ground.

Blue painted hobbit hole nestled in the ground next to the old yellow one.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Current vibe post Chewie’s “cryptorchid” surgery. Fun tangent: this lead to me learning that “orchid” means “testicle.” Hat tip to @metalmarks.bsky.social for sharing this illustration of why the plant is called an #orchid in our Pittsburgh #Naturalists signal chat. #DogsofBluesky

Chewbacca the tiny Wookiee (puppy). Apparently one of his 🏀s was up in his abdomen and took a second incision to get to.

Diagram of an orchid. Complete with two fuzzy tubers.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Happy to have this recent wooden monarch #butterfly piece shown at the University of #Pittsburgh #EcoArtisans Sustainable Art Expo today! Bonus materials showcasing #milkweed, #nativeplants, #pawpaw, and zebra swallowtails.

Exhibition of my wooden monarch butterfly intarsia, along with materials and references to milkweed, native plants, and the story of the zebra swallowtail in my backyard last year.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Plant Milkweed! #Monarch #Butterfly wood #intarsia is complete! Started this thing in Dec24! Made from 310 pieces of wood handcut on a scrollsaw. Ebonized black walnut, orange-dyed ash, American holly (all scavenged). + A bit of wenge, and painted metal cord antennae. #woodworking #nativeplants

Wooden monarch butterfly intarsia, made from 310 pieces of wood handcut on a scrollsaw.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Cold & rain makes for a great day to do my annual refinish of this inlayed patio sunflower table I made. Downside of oil-finish: yearly maintenance. Upside: it’s easy and much prettier than something like spar urethane. It stays on our porch so at least somewhat limited exposure to elements.

Patio table made from walnut & sapele, with bloodwood, yellowheart, & wenge sunflower inlay.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

If any of you happen to be #pittsburgh local, the monarch I’m working on will be displayed at the “EcoArtisans Sustainable Art Expo” on April 2nd (10-2pm, WPU, Pitt Campus).

Save the date: Pitt’s 2nd Annual Sustainable Art Expo, April 2, WPU, 10-2pm.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

1 way I make my #woodworking more sustainable is by ebonizing common woods like this black walnut instead of using e.g. ebony. Vinegar + steel wool in an old mason jar = iron acetate (& hydrogen, so don’t seal it💥!). The solution reacts with tannin to create various shades (depending on species)

Walnut wood being ebonized with iron acetate.

A mason jar of iron acetate (vinegar + steel wool).

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Back at this #monarch #intarsia again. I started it in December! It’s a slow metamorphosis. All handcut on #scrollsaw. Will dye some of it orange. #woodworking #art

Pieces of wood that will eventually metamorphose into a monarch butterfly

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

I don’t show my face here all that often - just because there’s usually much more interesting things to show. But Chewie was being too cute not to share. I swear there will be both woodworking and nature content here soon!

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

The fastest creature on Earth - a peregrine falcon - flying around the Cathedral of Learning while supporting #standupforscience2025 in #pittsburgh (a pair nests up there). The survival of the peregrine is 1 of the great conservation stories. #science #nature @standupforscience.bsky.social

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Hey if y’all want to see some absolutely gorgeous woodworking - often inspired by nature, wildlife, and pets. Give my friend Chelsea @evergreendaydreams.bsky.social a follow! She’s a truly amazing pro and just joined here. (Chelsea you should post one of your cardinals!).

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

I started many of my #nativeplants seeds suuuper early (like December), mostly as a mental health exercise, and expecting failure. But so far like 95% of it still looks happy and healthy-ish. For a cool dry basement under cheap lights anyway. The main challenge has been fighting the fungus gnats.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

How I maintain my winter sanity: garden planning. Our small pizza slice of Pittsburgh started as monoculture lawn and a few invasives and non-natives (but beautiful rhododendrons). I’m slowly converting it to mostly #nativeplants (minus dog runs). 100 native seedlings in our basement now!

Diagram of our lawn plan changing from grass in 2017 to plants everywhere in 2024. And some rough plans for 2025.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

This was certainly a transformative moment experience for both me and for our backyard :)

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

I have to shoutout @belz-ebub.bsky.social as an account to follow if you’re into cool intricate scrollsaw wood art. He and I go way back on IG.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Accurate representation of current vibe. (It’s a carved “porg” from #starwars).

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

This was one of my (many) favorite #nature videos from my backyard in the summer. A backlit European #honeybee drinking from the bird bath. I am trying to be here in my mind today. And failing. lol. #naturalist

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Too early to start #nativeplants indoors? Probably. But I need to watch green things grow right now. Indoor #gardening is a mental health exercise. I’m sure I can keep some of them alive until spring. Maybe. And bonus, maaaybe some will bloom 1st year.

Pots with native seedlings and germinating seeds in a basement.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Some of you may know about the appearance of a zebra swallowtail #butterfly in our yard last year. Chrysalises are still hanging out! A bit of snow has drifted through the screen, but they’re otherwise protected. Painting by @zswallowtailpgh.bsky.social #nature www.publicsource.org/zebra-swallo...

Zebra swallowtail butterfly chrysalises lying amidst a small layer of snow within a butterfly enclosure.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

My wife is working on her melon party. (There were a couple fun surprises in this). #severance. lumon-industries.com

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

These tiny pieces are the hardest. Anyway here’s proof they’re hand-cut. Removed audio because it’s annoying 😂

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

Doing some #woodworking! Finally gonna get back at this monarch #butterfly #scrollsaw #intarsia I started in… November?

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

I kinda dropped off posting for a bit. New #puppy (Chewie), new job locale, and my shop is too damn cold! But I imagine both art and native plant gardening will pickup here before too long.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 14: “Freddie Chirpury” the song sparrow (get it?). Freddie ruled our backyard for at least 4 yrs. He lives a hard life & keeps on singing. Cut on #scrollsaw: walnut, maple, tree of heaven, wenge, sapele, black locust, holly, ebony & cherry. #wildlifeart #woodworking #intarsia

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 12: “Chewbacca”! The most challenging piece I’ve made. 653 pieces handcut on #scrollsaw over 14 weeks! Catalpa, walnut, elm, mahogany, stinkwood, wenge, holly, ebony, limba, bloodwood, purpleheart, yellowheart, chakte viga, maple, rosewood, leopardwood #woodworking #starwars

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 11: another real throwback to my #blender3D days from over a decade ago. My now-wife. As a fairy. 😂 I was literally just playing around, learning to model and texture. I’ve thought about re-learning Blender. But the physicality of woodworking is just so satisfying.

A woman with fairy wings playing with a ladybug on flowers surrounded by blue morpho butterflies.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 10: I actually finished this today! A #plantpropagation tube holder for a breast cancer surgeon. I’ve been in BC research for 12 yrs. But it’s rare I can think of an appropriate way to include that in my art. But being for a surgeon as opposed to patient is much easier.

Black walnut plant propagation tube holder in the shape of a human breast in an ode to a breast cancer surgeon.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 9: “Nectar for the Orcas”. Back in 2010 I was mostly into #3D digital art with #blender. I did a whole series of marine animals in absurd land habitats. Obviously rudimentary by today’s #CGI standards. That penchant for absurdity led to my studio name. #digitalart #cetaceans

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

I’ve had this spacer block from a pallet used to ship a tissue culture incubator for about 6 years. I decided to turn it into propagation tube holders today! Much prettier wood than even expected. No idea what it is - some sort of tropical hardwood most likely. #woodworking #plants #propagation

An old pallet spacer block. Likely tropical hardwood.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 8: “Sir Rano Ham,” a piece I made in memory of our friends’ beloved fuzzy little #hamster. Handcut on #scrollsaw, built from mahogany, honey locust, holly, walnut, apple, and wenge. #intarsia #woodworking

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 7: “Power. I have it. They don’t. This bothers them.” Any #Buffy fans out there?Handcut on #scrollsaw. No paint/stain. Bloodwood, mahogany, purpleheart, pine, basswood, ebony, holly, elm, Euro cherry, and walnut. I think it turned out five by five. #intarsia #woodworking #art

Buffy the Vampire Slayer holding a stake. Semi-3D wood sculpture using natural colors of the wood.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer holding a stake. Semi-3D wood sculpture using natural colors of the wood. Closeup.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 6: Boba Fett! Roughly based on a #marvelcomics panel by the late John Cassaday. 270 pieces of sycamore handcut on #scrollsaw over 6 weeks. One of my few pieces using wood dyes. #woodworking #starwars #bobafett #art

Wooden semi-3D artwork featuring Boba Fett.

Wooden semi-3D artwork featuring Boba Fett. Closeup.

Wooden semi-3D artwork featuring Boba Fett. Before dyes.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 5: “Bandit”. In 2020, we knew our little boy was nearing his end. He’d had a blessed life and almost zero health problems until 13-14yrs old when everything began to fail him. I decided to immortalize him in wood. We lost him less than a year later. 😭 #woodworking #scrollsaw

A chihuahua/terrier mix named “Bandit”standing next to a wooden replica of his own face.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 4: my second #stainedglass lamp! I barely knew what I was doing but it turned out great and it makes me happy every day I turn it on. Designing in glass is similar to my woodworking “intarsia” style, but with big differences like no internal cuts! Design is continuous around.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar day 3. I drew this barred #owl many years ago as part of my efforts to woo my now wife, as evidenced by her name hidden in the feathers. haha. Success! Though i think drawing her dog Bandit was even more influential (he later became my fur-son). #graphitedrawing #art

Pencil drawing of a barred owl in a tree branch.

Pencil drawing of a barred owl in a tree branch. Closeup with a name hidden in the feather lines.

Pencil drawing of a barred owl in a tree branch. Closeup of face.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

#ArtAdventCalendar Day 2: “I Hear You Have Crabs” Built from mahogany, sapele, lacewood, maple, purpleheart, bloodwood, padauk, cherry, ebony, aspen, walnut, & white oak. Based on a painting/sculpture I did on canvas and MagicSculpt years ago. #woodworking #intarsia #scrollsaw #art #octopus

Octopus emerging in 3D from a frame, all built from wood.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

We have a limited number of seasonal garden flags we swap out every month or two. This is the only December-ish looking one. Who knows where we got it? My wife noticed something we previously missed. Haha. #pridemonth in December? (For you non-bird nerds, those are both male cardinals). #birds

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

#artadventcalendar Day 1. “Sentience” #pastel drawing (pan and pencil pastels) I made some years back before presbyopia fully set in 😂😭. Actually, I attribute spending months on this thing as a major contributor to my prematurely aging eyesight (along with decades using microscopes). #art #elephant

Elephant face, dripping tear, pastel painting

Elephant face, dripping tear, pastel painting. Closeup.

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

Frozen #mushrooms. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this happen myself, though I imagine it’s not uncommon.

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Reposted by Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D.

Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

While our bodies seem static, our cells are constantly changing shape or on the move during tissue homeostasis or wound repair & even more dramatically during embryonic development, during events like gastrulation. Defining how cellular machines mediate these events is a key task for our field 1/n

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Punch it! Sound on. This is still my favorite thing I’ve ever made. Cut on #scrollsaw, including every. Single. Star trail cut out of a walnut panel and filled with epoxy. I learned arduino programming to run the backlights. Adafruit soundboard. #woodworking #starwars #art #geekart

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

As part of my goal to turn our front yard into a whimsical #nativeplant garden, in addition to the hobbit hole, I also added some hand-carved “koroks” from #legendofzelda. Made from scavenged urban-felled black locust. I gave three to a child/friend up the road. Shalaka! #woodworking #carving #art

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Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. @drlaughingmantis.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

I need to make a couple more tiny hobbit holes for our front yard #nativeplant garden. This spot will hopefully be full of Monarda and Agastache next year. I’m slowly eliminating all the turf grass. #scrollsaw #geekart #lotr #hobbit #woodworking #art

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