The Spider Woman

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The Spider Woman. Photograph of a large spider sculpture:Maman by Louise Bourgeois. Two graphic designs of spiders on paint splattered backgrounds

The Spider Woman is a collaborative, multi-faceted effort curated by Louisa Higgins, Riverside County Office of Education Arts Administrator, and Karen Riley, S.C.R.A.P. Gallery Executive Director. The exhibition invites students, teachers, parents, and professional artists to create their own interpretation of the spider inspired by imagination, local culture, and even arachnology. Selected spiders will be framed and part of a unique traveling art show.

If you would like to create spider collages with your students, you can request our curated STEAM kit, The Spider Woman, for your class by contacting Karen Riley at karen@scrapgallery.org.

If you would like to request a copy of the book Little People, Big Dreams by Louise Bourgeois, contact Louisa Higgins at lhiggins@rcoe.us (only 100 copies available first-come, first-served).

Parameters

Size - 7”W x 5”H , horizontal orientation.
Work must be on paper.
Acceptable mediums: crayon, colored pencil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, or collage.
Colorful, imaginative work and the use of recycled materials are highly encouraged.
ALL submissions must be labeled according to the directions on the website. You can download a page of The Spider Woman Labels for ease of use.
Student first and last name, school, grade, and teacher must all be legibly printed in order for a submission to be considered.

Important Dates

Wednesday, October 1 - flyer officially released.
Submissions through Friday, November 21 (must be received by this date).
Judging week of November 24.
Framing week of December 1.
Saturday, December 6 (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.) show/art making event at La Quinta Museum.

Locations for Drop Off or Mail In of Submissions

S.C.R.A.P. Gallery
68743 Perez Road, D16
Cathedral City, CA 92234

Riverside County Office of Education
Conference Center
4280 Brockton Avenue
Riverside, CA 92501
Attn: Liliana Salazar – Instructional Services

Riverside County Office of Education – Indio
47-110 Calhoun Street
Indio, CA 92201-6998
Attn: Louisa Higgins – Instructional Services

Riverside County Office of Education – Murrieta
38670 Sky Canyon Drive, Ste. 200
Murrieta, CA 92563
Attn: Kelley Ambriz – Instructional Services

Submission Information

Submissions will be accepted October 1-November 21, 2025.

Please use The Spider Woman Labels to clearly tag entries.

The Spider Woman Flyer
Download Contest Flyer

Large spider sculpture. Maman By Louise Bourgeois

Enter the real worldwide web of spiders. With eight legs, six to eight eyes, and—under close inspection—incredibly hairy, spiders, through the eyes of artist Louise Bourgeois, became the inspiration for a modern masterpiece called Maman. Created between 1999-2000, Maman (the French word for mom or mother) is one of the world’s largest sculptures at 30 feet high and 33 feet wide. The spider would be a recurring theme throughout the artist’s life. Bourgeois named the sculpture in honor of her mother. Like her mother, she saw the arachnid as helpful and protective.

She was right. Spiders are integral to our ecosystems—as predators and prey in ecosystems on all continents except Antarctica. The spider protects the environment, contributing to fewer pests destroying crops and less disease spread by insects. Spider silk has traditionally been used to construct nets and clothing.

She described her sculpture like this: “The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.”

Contact

Louisa Higgins
Arts Administrator
lhiggins@rcoe.us
(951) 826-6304

Riverside County Office of Education

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Important Dates

Locations for Drop Off or Mail In of Submissions