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| Illustration from Felton, H.W. (Ed.). (1955). Legends of Paul Bunyan. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. |
Having grown up in Minnesota, I have a special place in my heart for all of the things that make my birth place special. I left my home state in 1998, but I will probably never really leave it behind. Knowing how different East Coast is from Midwest, I can appreciate things that at one time I took for granted: small-town charm, colloquialisms like "hot dish," the respect you learn from living through a cold Minnesota winter, the ways in which Scandinavian culture makes up Midwestern American culture, and of course those little out-of-the-way attractions like Paul Bunyanland and the various bisque statues of my favorite folk hero that are spread across the state--Paul with his trusty sidekick Babe whose lore is legendary, whose spirits embody some of the Midwestern ethics I hold dear. The truly good people of this earth work hard, help their neighbors, take pride in who they are, and know that humility bears peace and contentment.
Babe is tattooed on my right arm. For me, he is a symbol of the qualities and parts of Minnesota culture that I'm nostalgic about and want to have with me as I raise a family in a region of the country that will always feel a little bit foreign. Babe is strong and gentle at the same time. He is trustworthy and steadfast. And he is a little bit mysterious. So of course he is the inspiration for this spider.
Materials: blue plastic focal beads, black baking clay (horns), blue bugle beads, blue seed beads, round blue spacer beads, black E beads, silver wire
