Not All Who Crawl Are Meant To Appall

The

Taxidermy

Spiders

of

CarLy

Haney

To the Odd & the Misunderstood... 

Won't you join me in paying an honor long due. The spider is one of Earth's most thrilling anomalies. Within the 35,000 species, the spider is given eight legs, eight eyes, venom behind menacing fangs and limitless abilities like producing silk, drinking prey and regrowing limbs. And though unpopular socially, the spider is deserving of praise and has beauty that is beyond human notion. It is often peaceful, beneficial to the ecosystem as well as possessing a pleasing aesthetic symmetry. Loved or loathed, it has a power in its presence, provoking strong emotion to those in proximity. It has both our fear as well as our respect.

My art focuses on providing these phenomenal creatures with the tributary pedestals they deserve. Each specimen is stuffed and hand spread, placed in an elegant baroque/gothic setting. They are displayed proudly and with no glass, letting spectators come as close as their courage may allow. Every piece is one of a kind, often wearing regal motifs of lace, velvet, brass or whatever artist may unearth from her personal jewelry box; all layered upon vintage and customized frames. But the best thing of all in regards to these spiders is the metaphorical value that we can all relate with being unpopular, but it does not mean we cannot surround ourselves with luxury, it does not mean we cannot draw gasps of wonder with our uniqueness, and it does not mean that we cease to be magnificent. Won't you join me?