What happens when curiosity, creativity, and a box of dead bugs collide?

In this episode of Tiny Worlds, Big Stories, I sit down with artist Emma Oberle (Emma Bug Studio)—the brilliant (and delightfully unconventional) mind behind miniature scenes starring real preserved insects. Yes… bugs. And yes… you’re going to fall in love with them.

Emma shares her journey from a creative childhood filled with sewing, crafting, and tinkering, to studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), to navigating post-grad life during the uncertainty of 2020. What began as painting plant pots to cope with anxiety turned into a thriving art business—and eventually, the tiny, wildly imaginative bug worlds that captured the internet’s attention.

We talk about:

How creativity can carry you through hard seasons
The surprising joy of tiny things
Building a business from scratch (and learning boundaries along the way)
Why her art is intentionally silly, strange, and deeply human
Balancing a full-time job, chronic illness, and creative work
Letting go of the pressure to “be one kind of artist”

And of course… we talk about the bugs 🐞

If you’ve ever felt pulled to make something—anything—this episode is your reminder that your curiosity might just be your compass.

✨ Don’t forget to watch on YouTube to see Emma’s work—photos included:

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https://emmabugstudio.com/

https://www.instagram.com/emmabugstudio/

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https://www.larablairartstudio.com/