Recently, I have been lucky enough to visit Gdansk, a beautiful city in Poland. It is a port town, and the old part of the city sits along the River Motlawa. It is made up of these extraordinary tall, narrow houses, many of which are four or even five stories high. Gdansk was almost completely destroyed during World War Two - but there was a decision made to restore the architecture of the old town. You can see how extensive the damage was in these photos here. When you walk through Gdansk today, it is hard to believe - it is an incredible achievement. One of these buildings is the home of a merchant called the Uphagen House, originally constructed in the 18th century. There are richly decorated rooms featuring both birds and insects. 
As I have written about previously, I am also inspired by insects - and many of my designs feature birds. One aspect I enjoyed the most is that they focused on some of the least glamorous insects - look at the detail of the louse! The grasshopper looks like a Bird of Paradise in comparison.
My favourite though, was the praying mantis. The detail is glorious, and they have created a great sense of perspective in the way the body has been rendered. I have always been horrified and fascinated by praying mantis after watching a female eating its male mate in Hong Kong. If you have time to spend in Gdansk, I recommend a visit to the Uphagen House - you will see all these birds and insects in the context of a sumptuous house.
