During his 30-year teaching career at Cleveland’s John Marshall High School, Paul Johanni introduced his social sciences students to anthropology, sociology and psychology concepts that would fully prepare them for further study about the subjects in college.
These days, the Westlake resident is dedicated to spreading the word about another topic that’s equally important to him: engaging in random acts of kindness. For the last three years, he’s put his artistic talents to work by meticulously crafting palm-sized spiders from glass, wire and beads, then presenting them to anyone he meets along life’s highway who could use a bit of cheering up.
“I’m a humanitarian who enjoys helping people,” Johanni says. “So often we’re quick to criticize people but aren’t quick to compliment them. Life should be all about helping those who need it.”
Like many of us did in 2020, Johanni found himself sheltering in place at home during the pandemic while figuring out how to cope with the countless empty hours ahead. While cleaning out his garage, he stumbled upon buckets of colored glass he’d purchased a decade or so ago and set to work. Two weeks later, he’d filled two boxes with spiders and began pondering what to do with them.
“I told myself that I am not allowed to sell them, only give them away — and only for acts of kindness,” he says. When people try to donate or pay for the spider, Johanni says, “You can’t put money in between kindness and kindness. I’m always on the lookout for people who have demonstrated acts of compassion — not necessarily to me, but to anybody.”
To date, 2,384 spiders have been distributed in 10 countries on recommendations from family, friends and past recipients. The majority of spiders have gone to people Johanni has met.
Johanni keeps a log of each one he sends into the world. Each of his creations comes with “adoption papers” and instructions for their care and feeding, reminding “new parents” that the only nutrients needed are smiles.
“Feed them often,” the document reads. “They can be overfed and will accept smiles from everyone. Encourage your family and friends to feed them. … If you look closely, they might smile back. As birth father, I did not name them, so let me know their name. A picture in their happy place would make me smile.”
When asked why he chose the spider as his Muse, the response is poignant: The first gift he purchased for his wife Sandy, who passed away in 2019, was a silver-and-onyx pin shaped like one.
“We were walking through a jewelry store, and Sandy thought it was really neat. I went back and bought it for her,” Johanni recalls. “From then on, they became our [special symbol], and we’d always describe ourselves as ‘two old spiders.’”
“When I started the spider project, that wasn’t part of my thought process,” he adds with a grin. “So I blame Sandy for directing me down this path.”
The octogenarian artist is already well-known for the intricate pine needle baskets and art pieces he creates from raffia — a natural grass that’s similar to palm branches — and fallen needles he’s gathered in Florida. His work is often displayed at consignment shops around town and is exhibited at the Rocky River Nature Center.
But the spiders and the reaction they receive are what warm his heart.
“I infuse each of them with a personality all their own,” Johanni says. “My greatest joy is watching people try to make a decision about which spider they’re going to choose to take home. I hope each spider inspires and encourages more kindness, creating a ripple effect and making kindness contagious.”
