MIRANDA JOHNSTON

“Arthropoda (arthro = joint: pods = foot). is a major division of the animal kingdom. An arthropod is an invertebrate animal with an
external skeleton, segmented body and jointed appendages. The phylum arthropoda includes crustacea, arachnids, millipedes, centipedes and insects.

My collection of photographs were made between April and October 2014, and all the creatures were found in the garden at Cothay Manor near Wellington in Somerset, or in, or near my garden on the edge of Exmoor. I hope in this collection to open the eyes of the viewer to the beauty and wonder of these tiny creatures that exist all around us if we only stop to look. My hunting forays were as exciting as going on safari and this was only increased once I took my finds back to my studio and observed them through my lens.”

Miranda Johnston originally worked as an interior designer, before deciding to pursue her interest in art and study at Camberwell College of Art. Miranda is both a photographer and a painter, creating work inspired by her observations of nature and fleeting interactions with wildlife. In her ‘Athropoda’ series of photographs, Miranda takes insects out of their natural context, isolating them in abstract spaces to intensify their fascination and beauty. Her compelling photographs give a rare up close look at the world of the arthropod, a world which despite being so physically close to us is often overlooked.