Feeling arty, Baltimore?
The cicadas of Brood X are here on mass and while a few of us are struggling to deal with the billions of noisy insects, many others are feeling inspired by these fascinating and gentle creatures.
A group of Baltimore, Maryland artists are in the latter group and the art just keeps coming. When you see their colorful artworks, you can't help feeling inspired too.
From brightly painted wooden cicadas to cicadas climbing street lambs, you can follow an artistic cicada trail in Baltimore and see how many you can spot. It's all part of a large-scale collaborative art project set up by the Formstone Castle Collective.
Both individual artists and business are taking part in the fun, including Boltimore's Rawlings Conservatory and Botanical Gardens where you'll find the cicada in cactus disguise above. The cicadas will be on display in and around the greater Baltimore area from now through to the end of summer.
"This project celebrates the re-emergence of Brood X, central Maryland’s 17-year cicada brood, which will return by the trillions to Maryland during spring and summer 2021." --Cicada Parade-a
Formstone Castle Collective, the organizers of Cicada Parade-a, are known for their colorful light displays at festivals and events around Baltimore and wider Maryland areas. Celebrating an insect coming out into the light after 17 years in the dark feels quite fitting.
"The last time Brood X emerged was in 2004—what feels like a lifetime ago by now. The Cicada Parade-a represents an emergence from a long period of darkness to sing, make noise and fall in love with the world again."
And the kids are inspired too! Baltimore school children have been displaying their art and sculptures at SCRAP, a #HiddenGem donation-based creative reuse store. Why not pop in on the weekend and let your kids get creative too?
Art is a wonderful way for our kids to learn about and get used to looking at bugs up close. When they study and create their own cicadas, it takes the "gross" factor out and replaces it with awe of these incredible insects.
As a friend to cicadas, students can help us replace fear with fascination as we explore this amazing wonder of nature together. --Friend to Cicadas.org
Friends to Cicadas also has a free digital resource for you to use with your kids.
And if you're a Maryland resident and feel inspired to join in with an art project of your own, check out Cicada Parade-a on Facebook.