Here is a 12 point deer trophy mount that took me over a year to mount:

 The hunter picked him up today and I believe he was satisfied.

Even though I've been doing this job for years, I still worry that the client may not be completely thrilled with the final product.  It's challenging to be an artist and pour your heart and soul into a piece, even if it's technically a commercial venture, and then separate your self worth with the final product.

I wonder if folks in other lines of work lie awake at night fretting over whether or not they've sung a song perfectly, diagnosed a patient correctly or served an ice cream cone to the best of their ability.

Waste Not...

Remember that rat I mounted a few months back?  I also preserved her skull, here are some photos, please enjoy!

LAMBAG

This is a little lamb baby that was gifted to me from my 4H enthusiast pal who raises goats. So I guess it's actually a little baby goat.  I still get them mixed up.  Anyway, I had it soft tanned with the intent on making a plush mount that could be cuddled, but once I got it bag I realised it would make an excellent bag. And voila!

I made a carcass cast of the head using a silicone mold, one that I can use again and again.  This is great because I have about 5 other babies tanned and ready to go be future bags.

His little legs are filled, and the torso cavity is left hollow, lined with fabric.

And tassels make everything better, right?

I debuted this bag at a local design event and he made quite a splash.  This piece is definitely a show stopper.  It's also so fun to carry, like a furry little pet you can just keep hugging all night and day.  Better than a purse puppy; you don't need to feed him or take him out to pee!

This is by far one of my favorite creations.  I'm eager to create more, sell them and see how my clients take them out into the world.  My new signature piece!

Bijoux the Sweetie

Meet Bijoux.  She's the much beloved pet Dumbo Rat of a client and she passed away one night after living with a large cancerous tumor in her belly for some time.

 It was my client's wish to have her preserved elegantly and regally, so we opted for a plush pillow to sit her on and some head embellishment.  I would up using a vintage Betsey Jonson charm as a crown of sorts, and couldn't resist a little diamond ring.

Because she had been ill her coat apparently wasn't as lustrous as it had been in healthier days but I think she's still beautiful.

I used silicone rubber to make a mold of her body (sans skin) and made a carcass cast.  This is a pricey technique but completely manageable with smaller specimen, and yields a highly detailed mannequin to then taxi the dermis onto.  In this case that was extremely helpful as Bijoux had a very specific growth on her body that may not have been obvious under her coat, but was significant in how her body was shaped.

 She went home last night to be with her human, and thus closes another little chapter in my taxidermy career.

Bird Bird Bird.

Bird is the word.  Here are some photos of a finished pheasant and a mallard drake I mounted for one of my favorite clients.  I finished these pieces a while ago but am only just now getting around to photographing them.
Unfortunately these pictures aren't so great; I didn't set up my back drop for the duck, and the pheasant was difficult to properly photograph because it's a hanging mount.  Alas:

Straight from the Catfish'smouth-

Or from Wisameckhan, which is Lenape for "Catfish Stream".

This beast was caught on worm from the Wissahickon Creek here in Philly by my client, and it has been a saga of a commission for this taxidermist.  I'm not crazy about doing fish, but this guy has a happy ending.





He arrived at my shop frozen; once thawed he wasn't looking so great.  I was disappointed to learn that catfish are just too oily to make successful skinmounts with; typically the best bet is to take measurements & reference photos of the actual specimen and order a fiberglass reproduction form that can be assembled and painted (not unlike model airplanes!)



He's kind of sad looking here but I got the information I needed, and comforted myself with the fact that I'd have a good meal of him at the very least.  My client is a man who has pulled over at the sight of a roadkill bear just to cut the cheeks off for meat so we are kindred gastronomical spirits in a sense.
Imagine my disappointment when I learned there was a city-wide warning against consuming catfish due to so much water in the Fairmount Park creeks being contaminated with sewage.  Bummer.

I'm not blessed with having a swell relationship with the airbrush, so I was dreading this project.  Also, after I gave a price and the deposit was paid I realised how profoundly I had underestimated the proper charge for a piece like this.  It turned out to be the least cost effective commission to date; at the end of the day I received about $20 more than I spent on parts/materials. 

I'm comforting myself with the fact that this was a learning experience for me, as it was my first nonskin fish mount.

 I abandoned the airbrush early and worked loosely off the catfish paint schedule I have, incorporating my own reference photos for his distinct markings.  I actually got really into it and it turns out I love painting!  I spend a few days a week working as a painter for a set design company when the taxidermy work is slow, and I guess I've picked up a thing or two.

So this is my first repro fish mount that I toiled over for weeks, and I am very pleased with the result although I refuse to call it taxidermy.  I will call it art, however.  My client was thrilled as well, which is always rewarding.

There is a space on the lower right part of the plaque where an engraved brass plate will go, describing the species, with date and location of the catch.
And now that the cattie's out of the bag, I hope to have the opportunity to do more in the future.