I obviously find the mantis a compelling creature. A killing machine, I have wondered how we would regard the Praying Mantis if we found one as tall as a human being, clinging to a wall in the bedroom. Moreover, I have found the shape of the mantis to be a perfect subject for the kind of woodwork I like to do. The body, relative to the creature as a whole, is big enough for a cavity to accommodate a cabinet or drawer, thus giving me the opportunity to call the piece functional; the legs are all about delicate joinery, thus I am a furniture maker. The head of course gives me a chance to carve; thus I can think of the piece as something approaching art.