Bellskimmer Studio started as a research project and has morphed into a naturalist-inspired adventure that bounces between art and science with effortless merriment. My work uses the tools of photography, poetry, and storytelling to make the unnoticed corners of the natural world more accessible to people. In 2020 I stared looking for dragonflies and in 2022 I saw my own reflection in a june beetle. That connection inspired the body of work titled The Hidden Realm, which pulled from my roots of poetry and music as it grew to multiple sections woven with musical themes. The journey into the hidden realm, using the scaffolding of naturalist observation, has been the grandest adventure of my life.
What is a Bellskimmer, anyway?
It is a play on words. A Twelve-spotted Skimmer is a dragonfly in the family Libellulidae, common name Skimmer.
A telescope, a microscope, and a macro lens to see all the realms, yet so much remains
unnoticed. All conservation efforts start with awareness.
All content on this page was created by Nicole Birch, DBA Bellskimmer Studio. Photoshop AI tools were used in the editing of photographs and the graphic design of compositions. Insects were not posed, but shot with a camera while going about their insect lives. The decision to not manipulate their activities was fundamental to style and mission.
Nicole the Artist
Nicole the Naturalist
Current Exhibitions
I am the featured artist at Tettegouche State Park for the month of May. The exhibition can be found in the visitor's center the entire month, not just at the date/time listed for the opening.
Upcoming Exhibitions and Events
