Killackey Illustration
@kjkillackey.bsky.social
Natural science 🐡 & archaeological illustration 🏺 by Kathryn Killackey. NEH-Mellon Foundation Fellow ('23 - '24). Available for freelance #sciart. Lover of #books, #textiles, and absurdities. She/her
www.killackeyillustration.com
www.killackeyillustration.com
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
I love it when new archaeological research is coupled with beautiful photographs of the artifacts. Exciting work on the exceptional Younger Dryas-age organic technologies of some of North America’s first peoples.
www.johnhawks.net/p/complex-fi...
www.johnhawks.net/p/complex-fi...
Complex fiber and wood technologies of the first Great Basin peoples
From Cougar Mountain Cave and Paisley Caves, Oregon, come remarkably preserved examples of perishable materials.
www.johnhawks.net
February 15, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I love it when new archaeological research is coupled with beautiful photographs of the artifacts. Exciting work on the exceptional Younger Dryas-age organic technologies of some of North America’s first peoples.
www.johnhawks.net/p/complex-fi...
www.johnhawks.net/p/complex-fi...
I want them, nay need them.
Good morning please enjoy these French porcelain sphynxes, they can’t believe you would actually post that, they are both repelled and intrigued
February 14, 2026 at 4:52 PM
I want them, nay need them.
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Wow. You should read this.
‘Regrets? Number one: smoking. Number two: taking it up the wrong hole’: Tracey Emin on reputation, radical honesty – and Reform
She scandalised the art world in the 1990s with her unmade bed, partied hard in the 2000s – then a brush with death turned the artist’s life upside down. Now she’s as frank as ever
www.theguardian.com
February 14, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Wow. You should read this.
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
This seems as good an excuse as any for a short thread introducing people to some single moths I've found in my area, looking for fun.
1. Here, for starters, is a Canary-Shouldered Thorn Moth (I didn't make this up).
1. Here, for starters, is a Canary-Shouldered Thorn Moth (I didn't make this up).
February 12, 2026 at 11:54 AM
This seems as good an excuse as any for a short thread introducing people to some single moths I've found in my area, looking for fun.
1. Here, for starters, is a Canary-Shouldered Thorn Moth (I didn't make this up).
1. Here, for starters, is a Canary-Shouldered Thorn Moth (I didn't make this up).
My teen edition, found on my parents’ shelves and guarded fiercely ever since.
February 12, 2026 at 2:17 PM
My teen edition, found on my parents’ shelves and guarded fiercely ever since.
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Progress is being made on the visualizations for my data jacket! Two more to go then I can start sewing the jacket itself.
Far left is visualizing 800 years of Kyoto peek cherry blossom bloom dates, the two on the right are NYC Parks data on land designations in the city.
#DHmakes
Far left is visualizing 800 years of Kyoto peek cherry blossom bloom dates, the two on the right are NYC Parks data on land designations in the city.
#DHmakes
February 12, 2026 at 1:24 PM
Progress is being made on the visualizations for my data jacket! Two more to go then I can start sewing the jacket itself.
Far left is visualizing 800 years of Kyoto peek cherry blossom bloom dates, the two on the right are NYC Parks data on land designations in the city.
#DHmakes
Far left is visualizing 800 years of Kyoto peek cherry blossom bloom dates, the two on the right are NYC Parks data on land designations in the city.
#DHmakes
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Absolutely blown away by the Mithraic altars revealed by the National Museum of Scotland today, the way the head of Sol is designed to be backlit! Love to do a proper miniature, but just playing with this candle & paper one for now (it burst into flames 3 seconds later 😳)
#PlaymobilInfestation
#PlaymobilInfestation
February 11, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Absolutely blown away by the Mithraic altars revealed by the National Museum of Scotland today, the way the head of Sol is designed to be backlit! Love to do a proper miniature, but just playing with this candle & paper one for now (it burst into flames 3 seconds later 😳)
#PlaymobilInfestation
#PlaymobilInfestation
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Enjoy
In this short, the animator Suresh Eriyat gives voice to the wool of the Deccani sheep, long central to the livelihoods of communities across the Deccan Plateau in India. Playful yet deeply reflective, the film weaves song and texture to reveal the fragile beauty of a way of life under strain
A musical ode to Indian wool and life on the Deccan Plateau | Aeon Videos
A jaunty song calls for greater appreciation of Indian wool, as imports undermine the livelihoods of local herders
buff.ly
February 11, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Enjoy
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
in progress.
胸のあたりまで進めてみた。
微調整は後回し。
ネット購入の商品が予定通りに届かない。
前日の雪の影響だろう。
運送業者での遅延があると、展示のセッティングは大打撃。
いっそ作品の搬入は自分の車で持ち込もうか？と思ってしまう。
江戸の下町の極端に細い路地を走れるのかなぁ？
一番信用ならないのは自分の運転だというのに。
#刺繍絵日記 #embroiderypicturediary
#artembroidery #textileart #textileembroidery #刺繍
胸のあたりまで進めてみた。
微調整は後回し。
ネット購入の商品が予定通りに届かない。
前日の雪の影響だろう。
運送業者での遅延があると、展示のセッティングは大打撃。
いっそ作品の搬入は自分の車で持ち込もうか？と思ってしまう。
江戸の下町の極端に細い路地を走れるのかなぁ？
一番信用ならないのは自分の運転だというのに。
#刺繍絵日記 #embroiderypicturediary
#artembroidery #textileart #textileembroidery #刺繍
February 9, 2026 at 2:56 PM
in progress.
胸のあたりまで進めてみた。
微調整は後回し。
ネット購入の商品が予定通りに届かない。
前日の雪の影響だろう。
運送業者での遅延があると、展示のセッティングは大打撃。
いっそ作品の搬入は自分の車で持ち込もうか？と思ってしまう。
江戸の下町の極端に細い路地を走れるのかなぁ？
一番信用ならないのは自分の運転だというのに。
#刺繍絵日記 #embroiderypicturediary
#artembroidery #textileart #textileembroidery #刺繍
胸のあたりまで進めてみた。
微調整は後回し。
ネット購入の商品が予定通りに届かない。
前日の雪の影響だろう。
運送業者での遅延があると、展示のセッティングは大打撃。
いっそ作品の搬入は自分の車で持ち込もうか？と思ってしまう。
江戸の下町の極端に細い路地を走れるのかなぁ？
一番信用ならないのは自分の運転だというのに。
#刺繍絵日記 #embroiderypicturediary
#artembroidery #textileart #textileembroidery #刺繍
This performance brought to mind another amazing artistic gut punch, Kara Walker’s “A Subtlety” or “The Marvelous Sugar Baby”. And then there’s Mintz’ book, “Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History”.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Subtl...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Subtl...
February 9, 2026 at 1:55 PM
This performance brought to mind another amazing artistic gut punch, Kara Walker’s “A Subtlety” or “The Marvelous Sugar Baby”. And then there’s Mintz’ book, “Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History”.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Subtl...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Subtl...
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Next time somebody tries to get me to justify the existence of the humanities, I’ll just point out how for the past two Super Bowls we’ve all jumped online and engaged in collective semiotics and hermeneutics of the half-time show as text.
February 9, 2026 at 3:36 AM
Next time somebody tries to get me to justify the existence of the humanities, I’ll just point out how for the past two Super Bowls we’ve all jumped online and engaged in collective semiotics and hermeneutics of the half-time show as text.
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Benito is a threat b/c he makes art so alluring and enjoyable you want to understand everything about it and then you end up learning about sugar and slavery and colonialism and the Taínos and Hawaii and then you probably have some thoughts of your own, and that's why art is powerful and dangerous
February 9, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Benito is a threat b/c he makes art so alluring and enjoyable you want to understand everything about it and then you end up learning about sugar and slavery and colonialism and the Taínos and Hawaii and then you probably have some thoughts of your own, and that's why art is powerful and dangerous
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Moment of energetic entertainment from #SuperbOwl courtesy, of course, of Hieronymus Bosch. Go owls!
February 9, 2026 at 2:26 AM
Moment of energetic entertainment from #SuperbOwl courtesy, of course, of Hieronymus Bosch. Go owls!
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
A few months ago in South Africa.
Oxpeckers have a complex symbiotic relationship with their large mammal friends. They eat lots of ticks and parasites off them, but they also are parasitic and eat their blood.
This red-billed oxpecker was hanging out with one of his long-necked friends!
#bird 🪶
Oxpeckers have a complex symbiotic relationship with their large mammal friends. They eat lots of ticks and parasites off them, but they also are parasitic and eat their blood.
This red-billed oxpecker was hanging out with one of his long-necked friends!
#bird 🪶
February 8, 2026 at 1:46 AM
A few months ago in South Africa.
Oxpeckers have a complex symbiotic relationship with their large mammal friends. They eat lots of ticks and parasites off them, but they also are parasitic and eat their blood.
This red-billed oxpecker was hanging out with one of his long-necked friends!
#bird 🪶
Oxpeckers have a complex symbiotic relationship with their large mammal friends. They eat lots of ticks and parasites off them, but they also are parasitic and eat their blood.
This red-billed oxpecker was hanging out with one of his long-necked friends!
#bird 🪶
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
You now have until the 15th of February to send in your applications for our upcoming workshop on historical approaches to the non-human, ran in collaboration with @northernenvhistory.bsky.social.
Some fantastic applications in already, we look forward to reading yours!
🌿 🕷️ 🐀 🦠
Some fantastic applications in already, we look forward to reading yours!
🌿 🕷️ 🐀 🦠
The CFP deadline for our upcoming workshop on 'unwanted non-human life', broadly conceived, here at York has been extended a couple of weeks. Do send in an application if it appeals to you, we've already got a great pair of keynotes lined up!
February 4, 2026 at 2:43 PM
You now have until the 15th of February to send in your applications for our upcoming workshop on historical approaches to the non-human, ran in collaboration with @northernenvhistory.bsky.social.
Some fantastic applications in already, we look forward to reading yours!
🌿 🕷️ 🐀 🦠
Some fantastic applications in already, we look forward to reading yours!
🌿 🕷️ 🐀 🦠
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Wool-d you believe it? Wool is one of the UK's oldest materials, but there's still more to be learned!
Don't be sheepish, join Monica Stenzel and discover the past, present and future of wool.
📆 Feb 25 6pm
📍 Linnean Society
Don't be sheepish, join Monica Stenzel and discover the past, present and future of wool.
📆 Feb 25 6pm
📍 Linnean Society
Fuzzy Logic | Wool as the Once and Future Fibre
Wool is one of the UK's oldest materials; is it the fibre of the future? Monica Stenzel shares her work on the sustainability of textiles.
buff.ly
January 30, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Wool-d you believe it? Wool is one of the UK's oldest materials, but there's still more to be learned!
Don't be sheepish, join Monica Stenzel and discover the past, present and future of wool.
📆 Feb 25 6pm
📍 Linnean Society
Don't be sheepish, join Monica Stenzel and discover the past, present and future of wool.
📆 Feb 25 6pm
📍 Linnean Society
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
I’m advising an illustrated paleo book and a significant part of the work has been saying “do not use that reference, it’s ai.”
January 30, 2026 at 12:41 PM
I’m advising an illustrated paleo book and a significant part of the work has been saying “do not use that reference, it’s ai.”
Hard to pick just one. Maybe “NO (NEGATIVE)”. On the other hand, my anchor is definitely dragging.
January 30, 2026 at 3:06 AM
Hard to pick just one. Maybe “NO (NEGATIVE)”. On the other hand, my anchor is definitely dragging.
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Our volume on Stone Age clothing is now online and completely open access:
Jöris, O., Dietrich, O., Risch, R., & Meller, H. (Hrsg.). (2026). A Stone Age History of Clothing: Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom 26. bis 28. September 2024 in Halle (Saale).
doi.org/10.11588/pro...
Jöris, O., Dietrich, O., Risch, R., & Meller, H. (Hrsg.). (2026). A Stone Age History of Clothing: Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom 26. bis 28. September 2024 in Halle (Saale).
doi.org/10.11588/pro...
January 28, 2026 at 9:39 AM
Our volume on Stone Age clothing is now online and completely open access:
Jöris, O., Dietrich, O., Risch, R., & Meller, H. (Hrsg.). (2026). A Stone Age History of Clothing: Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom 26. bis 28. September 2024 in Halle (Saale).
doi.org/10.11588/pro...
Jöris, O., Dietrich, O., Risch, R., & Meller, H. (Hrsg.). (2026). A Stone Age History of Clothing: Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom 26. bis 28. September 2024 in Halle (Saale).
doi.org/10.11588/pro...
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Hilariously, a coyote walked behind a San Francisco reporter as she was doing a segment on the mountain lion. 🤣
January 28, 2026 at 2:13 AM
Hilariously, a coyote walked behind a San Francisco reporter as she was doing a segment on the mountain lion. 🤣
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
Some inspiration for a cold day during bleak times.
Half million year old handaxes from Boxgrove, Sussex, laid out for a photoshoot with Dr Claire Harris at the @britishmuseum.bsky.social
#MondayMotivation
🦣🏺
Half million year old handaxes from Boxgrove, Sussex, laid out for a photoshoot with Dr Claire Harris at the @britishmuseum.bsky.social
#MondayMotivation
🦣🏺
January 26, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Some inspiration for a cold day during bleak times.
Half million year old handaxes from Boxgrove, Sussex, laid out for a photoshoot with Dr Claire Harris at the @britishmuseum.bsky.social
#MondayMotivation
🦣🏺
Half million year old handaxes from Boxgrove, Sussex, laid out for a photoshoot with Dr Claire Harris at the @britishmuseum.bsky.social
#MondayMotivation
🦣🏺
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
If you are in #NYC next week, come to “Weaving Dreams/#Quilting Community” a panel discussion-sewing demo featuring textile artists/writers/organizers who have inspired me. You’ll get swag to embellish!! #quiltsky #Artsky #Blacksky Pls register by 1/27!
www.eventbrite.com/e/weaving-dr...
www.eventbrite.com/e/weaving-dr...
Weaving Dreams, Quilting Community
Dr. Kim F. Hall in conversation and hands-on demo with fellow quilters Dr. Christa Gilliam, Juandamarie Gikandi, and Jacqueline Johnson.
www.eventbrite.com
January 24, 2026 at 11:35 AM
If you are in #NYC next week, come to “Weaving Dreams/#Quilting Community” a panel discussion-sewing demo featuring textile artists/writers/organizers who have inspired me. You’ll get swag to embellish!! #quiltsky #Artsky #Blacksky Pls register by 1/27!
www.eventbrite.com/e/weaving-dr...
www.eventbrite.com/e/weaving-dr...
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
"My husband complains about the cold," the man said. "Can you teach me a spell to keep him warm?"
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, it's magic."
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, it's magic."
January 23, 2026 at 4:54 PM
"My husband complains about the cold," the man said. "Can you teach me a spell to keep him warm?"
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, it's magic."
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, it's magic."
Blurry coyote going about their business, no time to chat, in SoCal yesterday.
January 23, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Blurry coyote going about their business, no time to chat, in SoCal yesterday.
Reposted by Killackey Illustration
This is taken from a comic I made back in 2022 called "How to Read an Aztec Comic" and these panels are sadly more relevant than ever. You can read the full thing here: escholarship.org/uc/item/8cq5...
How to Read an Aztec "Comic": Indigenous Knowledge, Mothers' Bodies, and Tamales in the Pot
Author(s): Lopez, Felicia Rhapsody; Collver, Jordan | Abstract: This visual text represents some of the content from the article, Women, Childbirth, and the Sticky Tamales: Nahua Rhetoric and Worldvie...
escholarship.org
January 23, 2026 at 12:39 PM
This is taken from a comic I made back in 2022 called "How to Read an Aztec Comic" and these panels are sadly more relevant than ever. You can read the full thing here: escholarship.org/uc/item/8cq5...