New Paper Art for The Cicada Brood Collection
We are SO close to the completion of my Cicada Brood collection, which features five different species of cicadas from around the world, made in honor of the bumper crop of both annual and periodical cicadas that emerged in the US last summer.
The latest installments are Annual Cicadas and Ghost Cicadas! Annual Cicadas are, as mentioned above, native to North America, while those hauntingly beautiful (and surprisingly colorful) Ghost Cicadas hail from mainly Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. These ones I just finished though, are made of my favorite recycled cotton papers, and some mulberry paper and cardstock, as needed, delicately detailed with ink and gouache.
I've made two of each species, and they along with the final species I'll be making - the Golden Drummer Cicada from Australia - will be available in my next shop update in February, framed and ready to hang with wire hangers and certificates of authenticity included.
Speaking of framing, you may notice that the framing for my paper art originals has changed somewhat than what it was in years prior. I’ve switched to single style of good-quality solid wood shadowbox frames and shatterproof acrylic glazing. Partially for simplicity’s sake, and also because I’ve listened to feedback about folks liking the art, but not the frames they’re sold in.
These new solid wood frames are unfinished, meaning you can paint or stain them if you wish, but both they and the acrylic glazing are less expensive than the designer frames and higher-end acrylics I’d previously been using.
This means that my paper originals are now priced at a more accessible point, with less of the cost being sunk into the framing. Plus, the art inside is also framed with the same archival methods I’ve always used. So, it’s easy to remove the mounted paper art from the frame, and re-frame it using a frame and glazing of your choice to better suit the light conditions and aesthetics of your spaces!
You can find these Annual Cicadas and Ghost Cicadas in my next shop update in February, 2025, though two other species are already available in my online shop! Sign up to my newsletter or follow Beastie and Bone on Patreon, Instagram, TikTok, Lemon8, or Bluesky to learn about new art releases and shop updates.
Be well,
Stacia