Lana Crooks is a textile artist based in Chicago. At first glance, the delicate skulls she creates appear to be real, adorned with flowers and jewels and displayed in bell jars like magical specimens found in the back of a curiosity shop. Look closer, however, and you can see the intricate textures of wool and silk, all carefully constructed into highly realistic 3D shapes. Her process is a long one, often beginning as anatomical research in Chicago’s natural history museum. Recreating the skulls she studies in miniature sizes, she then imbues them with fantasy elements, creating tiny characters both delicate and fierce who appear to drip with blood, bloom with flowers, and emanate a magical fire. To view more of her incredible faux specimens, visit her Instagram.

Images © Lana Crooks

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