Alabama artist Stacy Tabb encourages the viewer to explore and learn more about the natural world around them as she captures Mother Nature and the circle of life in her series 'You are what you eat'. Every year Southerners hear that familiar sound of the cicada, yet this year is a monumental year with also both 13 year and 17 year cicadas rising from the ground and taking to the trees above. We reached out to Stacy to commemorate this moment in time with a cover dedicated to our legendary summer visitor and we sat down to learn more about her and her work.
Where are you from?
Born and raised in Huntsville. Married my husband at the Huntsville Botanical Garden, and had our kids at Huntsville Hospital.
What do you love about the South?
People are just plain nicer here. We lived in Florida (not the South) for years and, even though we moved back almost three years ago, we still say to each other "it's good to be home."
What inspires your art?
The natural world. The You Are What You Eat series is a folk art style delve into various creatures and their food chains.
What is your favorite animal you've drawn?
Typically it is my most recent work. Right now, that is the Chinese dragon that is in progress in my studio.
What do cicadas represent to you?
Summer heat, days fishing the Tennessee river. One of the sounds of home.