About Otterwell Studio and Paul Atwell

I am a multi-discipline, working artist and graphic designer, born and raised in Houston, Texas. I have been a working artist since 1998, when I completed my first mural. I earned a Bachelor of Art degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2003 and completed an upgrade to my degree Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) in 2015. Otterwell Studio was founded as an escape from the stress of the corporate design lifestyle, which I had become accustomed. The name came to me as a mash-up of my favorite mammal “Otter” and part of my last name.

How Bugs-Under-Glass-Series was born

Always, I have loved bugs and little critters that many people deem pests, “gross”, or insta-kill. I was lucky enough one day, to see some beautiful macro photography of a jumping spider, with all its glowing detail and colorful hairs it piqued my desire to keep mounted/pinned specimens. Granted, tiny jumping spiders were hard to find pinned, so I pivoted to what I could find online. I had started with some butterflies and a lantern fly and next, planned on buying a leaf insect. I just had to wait until the next paycheck to buy the leaf insect. While those two weeks passed, I would see the mounted insects on the wall and “squeee” with delight. AND then, I started to think about this little creature was, in fact a living being that someone had to kill to mount for me. Granted the life of an insect is not one for the history books, generally…very short, but alas…I started feeling guilty. So, I came up with the idea of painting my own little insects. This way it would save a life, and I could enjoy specimens without guilt. Thus, my Bugs-Under-Glass Series began. I’ve since branched out into arachnids and numerous vertebrates.