Tan came across Libby's artworks in 2017, when surfing online. He was fascinated by the hybrid creatures combining nature and machinery. As a fan of bugs and sci-fi films, he started to learn how to create steampunk insects.
From 2017 to 2019, he was a full-time civil engineer by day, and a steampunk insect sculptor by night. In 2020, he quit the engineering post and the hobby became his career.
"For me, it is like a boy's dream come true. Since I first saw an insect specimen at about 5 years old, I marveled at its beauty," Tan says.
He still has vivid childhood memories of catching ants and grasshoppers in the fields of his hometown. In his eyes, these small creatures provide a different perspective of nature and life.
