The Dream Eater

Spiders are yet another of my spirit animals. I’ve kept tarantulas as pets. Just like with snakes, they’re a kind of being many other people are afraid of but I find them fascinating. (For those who play Dungeons and Dragons, many years ago I had a group friends who would call me “The Lolth-sworn one”.)

This one is the black-and-yellow wasp spider, Argiope bruennichi. I wish I had these in my garden! Probably the most beautiful spider in Italy, though its large size can be quite daunting. This one I painted is a female. Males are much, much smaller, and brown in colour.
And yes, the woman is about to eat it. The things that go on in my head sure can be strange.

Oil on canvas