Polymer, paper clay, airbrush, acrylics, and wire on wooden base. Created for heART of Cleveland exhibition.
Opossums are tough, resilient, and intelligent animals that do not hibernate with a strong natural immunity against even rabies, snake venom, and tick born illnesses (they each potentially can consume over 5000 ticks within 2-3 months and have a very strong stomach acid to digest some rotting foods). They have the most teeth of any other mammal in North America (which I painstakingly hand sculpted all 50 teeth, and roots, by hand from polymer clay). These animals are also very special to north America, being our only native marsupial, one of the descendants of one of the oldest families of mammals.
Why is this is my rendition of The heART of Cleveland: Our Clevelanders and our city have a similar strength and perseverance with this beautiful unique animal.
The city crown is symbolism of the long life and immortality of our tough city.