Turning Roadkill Into Art | National Geographic

I think what I’m aiming for is this

I think what I’m aiming for is this notion of I guess seduction and

notion of I guess seduction and

notion of I guess seduction and revulsion something that’s really

revulsion something that’s really

revulsion something that’s really beautiful

beautiful

beautiful really lush rubbing up against something

really lush rubbing up against something

really lush rubbing up against something that’s also perhaps repulsive I’m an

that’s also perhaps repulsive I’m an

that’s also perhaps repulsive I’m an artist and roadkill resurrector the

artist and roadkill resurrector the

artist and roadkill resurrector the first body of work that I really did in

first body of work that I really did in

first body of work that I really did in the sort of vein was called domestic

the sort of vein was called domestic

the sort of vein was called domestic arrangements and domestic arrangements

arrangements and domestic arrangements

arrangements and domestic arrangements has the aesthetic of a magazine spread

has the aesthetic of a magazine spread

has the aesthetic of a magazine spread of the perfect suburban home so there’s

of the perfect suburban home so there’s

of the perfect suburban home so there’s these sort of really bright colors lots

these sort of really bright colors lots

these sort of really bright colors lots of pattern at the same time that it’s

of pattern at the same time that it’s

of pattern at the same time that it’s just not quite right this is my studio

just not quite right this is my studio

just not quite right this is my studio which is space for taxidermy for making

which is space for taxidermy for making

which is space for taxidermy for making photographs snakeskins

photographs snakeskins

photographs snakeskins and for my various collections of

and for my various collections of

and for my various collections of anything from the natural world that I

anything from the natural world that I

anything from the natural world that I find the project developed because I

find the project developed because I

find the project developed because I moved here to New Jersey and my husband

moved here to New Jersey and my husband

moved here to New Jersey and my husband and I bought this house so I spending a

and I bought this house so I spending a

and I bought this house so I spending a lot of my free time looking through home

lot of my free time looking through home

lot of my free time looking through home design magazines then going on this

design magazines then going on this

design magazines then going on this commute where I intersect with a lot of

commute where I intersect with a lot of

commute where I intersect with a lot of roadkill I think it was that combination

roadkill I think it was that combination

roadkill I think it was that combination I kind of came together to begin the

I kind of came together to begin the

I kind of came together to begin the projects that I’ve been now working on

projects that I’ve been now working on

projects that I’ve been now working on for close to seven years

for close to seven years

for close to seven years so this is where I find starlings all

so this is where I find starlings all

so this is where I find starlings all the time and actually probably some

the time and actually probably some

the time and actually probably some other little critters too I found a

other little critters too I found a

other little critters too I found a groundhog here but there’s something

groundhog here but there’s something

groundhog here but there’s something what’s that

what’s that

what’s that that one’s clearly clearly too far gone

that one’s clearly clearly too far gone

that one’s clearly clearly too far gone oh yeah he’s really beautiful

looks like he had something in his mouth

looks like he had something in his mouth like he caught a bug or something it was

like he caught a bug or something it was

like he caught a bug or something it was probably paying attention to that not

probably paying attention to that not

probably paying attention to that not Attar’s you have to sort of pick

Attar’s you have to sort of pick

Attar’s you have to sort of pick roadkill up as you see it but when you

roadkill up as you see it but when you

roadkill up as you see it but when you see it it doesn’t necessarily always a

see it it doesn’t necessarily always a

see it it doesn’t necessarily always a convenient time to use it in a still

convenient time to use it in a still

convenient time to use it in a still life or come up with a creative idea for

life or come up with a creative idea for

life or come up with a creative idea for it so for that reason I have a freezer

it so for that reason I have a freezer

it so for that reason I have a freezer where I keep my specimens until they’re

where I keep my specimens until they’re

where I keep my specimens until they’re ready for their close-up excuse a little

ready for their close-up excuse a little

ready for their close-up excuse a little bit frozen Tomatoes

bit frozen Tomatoes

bit frozen Tomatoes that’s a baby bunny he’s just like sort

that’s a baby bunny he’s just like sort

that’s a baby bunny he’s just like sort of cute and sad at the same time when

of cute and sad at the same time when

of cute and sad at the same time when you pick up a squirrel you have a chance

you pick up a squirrel you have a chance

you pick up a squirrel you have a chance to look at that thing really closely in

to look at that thing really closely in

to look at that thing really closely in a way that you can’t look at that animal

a way that you can’t look at that animal

a way that you can’t look at that animal as it’s curry’s by the way the process

as it’s curry’s by the way the process

as it’s curry’s by the way the process really works is I’ll have a creature

really works is I’ll have a creature

really works is I’ll have a creature whatever it may be I’ll sort of think

whatever it may be I’ll sort of think

whatever it may be I’ll sort of think about the form of that creature then

about the form of that creature then

about the form of that creature then then I start to think like well how

then I start to think like well how

then I start to think like well how could I pose it with these various

could I pose it with these various

could I pose it with these various objects and a lot of the initial process

objects and a lot of the initial process

objects and a lot of the initial process of shooting is just sort of setting up

of shooting is just sort of setting up

of shooting is just sort of setting up some fabric backdrops putting the animal

some fabric backdrops putting the animal

some fabric backdrops putting the animal in front of it and sort of seeing how

in front of it and sort of seeing how

in front of it and sort of seeing how the light plays how the collar plays

the light plays how the collar plays

the light plays how the collar plays when you have something that’s beautiful

when you have something that’s beautiful

when you have something that’s beautiful that’s also dead it immediately

that’s also dead it immediately

that’s also dead it immediately introduces the tension there is a long

introduces the tension there is a long

introduces the tension there is a long history of this memento mori remember

history of this memento mori remember

history of this memento mori remember death in artwork really isn’t that to

death in artwork really isn’t that to

death in artwork really isn’t that to sort of show that there’s all this

sort of show that there’s all this

sort of show that there’s all this lushness and all this beauty but it’s

lushness and all this beauty but it’s

lushness and all this beauty but it’s also is fleeting and so you should sort

also is fleeting and so you should sort

also is fleeting and so you should sort of appreciate that beauty for as long as

of appreciate that beauty for as long as

of appreciate that beauty for as long as you can I feel like in some way I am

you can I feel like in some way I am

you can I feel like in some way I am taking these animals and removing them

taking these animals and removing them

taking these animals and removing them from a spot where they have

from a spot where they have

from a spot where they have unfortunately been killed and I try

unfortunately been killed and I try

unfortunately been killed and I try ultimately to give them a respectful end

ultimately to give them a respectful end

ultimately to give them a respectful end so I might immortalize them in a

so I might immortalize them in a

so I might immortalize them in a photograph or perhaps their skin and

photograph or perhaps their skin and

photograph or perhaps their skin and taxidermy but then I I bury them in the

taxidermy but then I I bury them in the

taxidermy but then I I bury them in the woods and I’d like to think that that’s

woods and I’d like to think that that’s

woods and I’d like to think that that’s a better end for them