ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A St. Pete woman is taking something that many of us ignore or, in some cases, run from and turning it into art. We’re talking about bugs.
“I was just one of those kids who was obsessed with bugs and never really got over it,” said artist Gillian Probert.
Probert is always looking down, searching for the next deceased insect she can scoop up and take back to her studio.
“I just kept seeing them on the ground, and it made me very sad to just see them swept away into the dirt, and I wanted to do something special with them,” said Probert.
The Eckerd College graduate began making her own line of insect-themed jewelry.
“I want people to have a piece of nature to take with them and last through their entire life time if that’s what they wish,” said Probert.
It’s even gotten to the point where Gillian has friends and family sending her creepy crawlies.
“For Christmas, my mom actually did do that. She said this whole month, I’m collecting whatever bugs. It got her walking with our dog,” said Probert.
However, if there’s one bug that stands out among the rest for this artist, it’s honey bees.
“And so I was really just drawn to collecting bees before I had any idea for an art piece in mind,” said Probert. “You’ll be surprised most bees just lay flat with their wings open or their wings tucked to the side, and that's how I typically find them.”
Gillian also wants to remind everyone that no bees were harmed through her art.
“People ask me that all the time. I have never bought, captured, or injured insects I work with,” said Probert.
Gillian began using resin to preserve the bees in crystal molds forever, and now hundreds of them hang together in an installation she calls “Swarm.”
“And it’s meant to look like a swarm of bees flying through the gallery,” said Probert.
“For this specific installation, I only include bees that I personally find because I think it’s important to show the representation of one person coming across all these dead bees; it really shows their declining rate,” said Probert.
That’s the main reason why Gillian reached out to ABC Action News. She wants viewers to know that the honey bee population is in jeopardy.
“I’m very grateful that you came out here to look at my space, but I do feel like I have an important message to share, basically a call to preservation for the animals, specifically pollinators,” said Probert. “So I think it’s very important for people to realize that these bees are dying around them. While I don’t have a science background specifically, I do have a lot of love for these creatures and I hope to share that message with other people.”
For more information on Probert, go here.
