Human-Looking Faces on Animal Bodies: Taxidermy as Art | National Geographic

the amazing thing about taxidermy is

the amazing thing about taxidermy is that you get to make the animal exactly

that you get to make the animal exactly

that you get to make the animal exactly the way it was in nature my approach is

the way it was in nature my approach is

the way it was in nature my approach is slightly different

when I put the hide on I’m doing it

when I put the hide on I’m doing it traditionally I’m doing the gluing the

traditionally I’m doing the gluing the

traditionally I’m doing the gluing the way attacks occur was what I’m doing

way attacks occur was what I’m doing

way attacks occur was what I’m doing stitching the way it would I’m lining up

stitching the way it would I’m lining up

stitching the way it would I’m lining up all the features so that they’re very

all the features so that they’re very

all the features so that they’re very true to the animal but the human face

true to the animal but the human face

true to the animal but the human face changes the hierarchy we were not

changes the hierarchy we were not

changes the hierarchy we were not viewing a creature or viewing something

viewing a creature or viewing something

viewing a creature or viewing something that really reflects us I use the real

that really reflects us I use the real

that really reflects us I use the real animals hide I don’t buy fresh hides I

animals hide I don’t buy fresh hides I

animals hide I don’t buy fresh hides I buy hides that no one has used and I’m

buy hides that no one has used and I’m

buy hides that no one has used and I’m repurposing them for my artwork this is

repurposing them for my artwork this is

repurposing them for my artwork this is typical of a hide that I would use where

typical of a hide that I would use where

typical of a hide that I would use where there’s damage to the hide particularly

there’s damage to the hide particularly

there’s damage to the hide particularly the face you’ll see there’s the bullet

the face you’ll see there’s the bullet

the face you’ll see there’s the bullet hole sort of burn marks around it almost

hole sort of burn marks around it almost

hole sort of burn marks around it almost immediately bugs will start to eat the

immediately bugs will start to eat the

immediately bugs will start to eat the nose and eyes of the animal so there

nose and eyes of the animal so there

nose and eyes of the animal so there might have been a little damage so this

might have been a little damage so this

might have been a little damage so this one is beautiful it has its flaws but

one is beautiful it has its flaws but

one is beautiful it has its flaws but that’s okay probably was not going to be

that’s okay probably was not going to be

that’s okay probably was not going to be mounted by a text numbers because of the

mounted by a text numbers because of the

mounted by a text numbers because of the problems but for me it’s perfect the

problems but for me it’s perfect the

problems but for me it’s perfect the hides are unbelievable it is amazing the

hides are unbelievable it is amazing the

hides are unbelievable it is amazing the way these animals come together and that

way these animals come together and that

way these animals come together and that I definitely want the viewer to get to

I definitely want the viewer to get to

I definitely want the viewer to get to enjoy and marvel over the fact that that

enjoy and marvel over the fact that that

enjoy and marvel over the fact that that was done in nature wasn’t something that

was done in nature wasn’t something that

was done in nature wasn’t something that I created when I’m stitching it together

I created when I’m stitching it together

I created when I’m stitching it together I want to make sure you can read the

I want to make sure you can read the

I want to make sure you can read the skin as pores and oils like we read our

skin as pores and oils like we read our

skin as pores and oils like we read our own skin it’s really important that I’m

own skin it’s really important that I’m

own skin it’s really important that I’m using the animals facial skin back over

using the animals facial skin back over

using the animals facial skin back over its face just transformed I want to

its face just transformed I want to

its face just transformed I want to leave as much animal miss

leave as much animal miss

leave as much animal miss on the face using all the patterns and

on the face using all the patterns and

on the face using all the patterns and everything

everything

everything every detail of our face evolved to be

every detail of our face evolved to be

every detail of our face evolved to be so communicative the weights the eyes

so communicative the weights the eyes

so communicative the weights the eyes the hair removed from the face

the hair removed from the face

the hair removed from the face everything brought forward and it sort

everything brought forward and it sort

everything brought forward and it sort of was able to increase our civilized

of was able to increase our civilized

of was able to increase our civilized communication through reading a face

communication through reading a face

communication through reading a face that could give really complex

that could give really complex

that could give really complex expressions and then that change the way

expressions and then that change the way

expressions and then that change the way we interacted with one another the face

we interacted with one another the face

we interacted with one another the face is white plastic clay called sculpey I

is white plastic clay called sculpey I

is white plastic clay called sculpey I have a model sit and freehand sculpt the

have a model sit and freehand sculpt the

have a model sit and freehand sculpt the face and putting the leather on it I

face and putting the leather on it I

face and putting the leather on it I don’t want the face to be monstery at

don’t want the face to be monstery at

don’t want the face to be monstery at all

all

all I want a balance between it being really

I want a balance between it being really

I want a balance between it being really appealing and something familiar and

appealing and something familiar and

appealing and something familiar and also being really unfamiliar it can be

also being really unfamiliar it can be

also being really unfamiliar it can be unnerving to have the human face staring

unnerving to have the human face staring

unnerving to have the human face staring back that I try to make the eyes a

back that I try to make the eyes a

back that I try to make the eyes a really beautiful part of the face the

really beautiful part of the face the

really beautiful part of the face the lids with the animals real lashes and

lids with the animals real lashes and

lids with the animals real lashes and that’s sort of a beautiful combination

that’s sort of a beautiful combination

that’s sort of a beautiful combination between human and animal some people say

between human and animal some people say

between human and animal some people say thanks for the nightmares Kate Clark you

thanks for the nightmares Kate Clark you

thanks for the nightmares Kate Clark you know and other people say thanks for the

know and other people say thanks for the

know and other people say thanks for the compassion Kate Clark you know so I get

compassion Kate Clark you know so I get

compassion Kate Clark you know so I get the full range of people really

the full range of people really

the full range of people really appreciating the work and reading a

appreciating the work and reading a

appreciating the work and reading a positive message into it and other

positive message into it and other

positive message into it and other people taking sort of a faster glance at

people taking sort of a faster glance at

people taking sort of a faster glance at it and saying yeah how could you do that

it and saying yeah how could you do that

it and saying yeah how could you do that I really want to go beyond the shock

I really want to go beyond the shock

I really want to go beyond the shock value and curiosity keep the viewer

value and curiosity keep the viewer

value and curiosity keep the viewer looking long enough so that they have

looking long enough so that they have

looking long enough so that they have more than just an initial reaction that

more than just an initial reaction that

more than just an initial reaction that they actually find meaning in the work

they actually find meaning in the work

they actually find meaning in the work the way I really want them to I love the

the way I really want them to I love the

the way I really want them to I love the body I love the face but for some reason

body I love the face but for some reason

body I love the face but for some reason it’s the ears and the antlers that

it’s the ears and the antlers that

it’s the ears and the antlers that trigger me I’m not sure why I think it’s

trigger me I’m not sure why I think it’s

trigger me I’m not sure why I think it’s that’s the animal part right like

that’s the animal part right like

that’s the animal part right like personal elements of my face that this

personal elements of my face that this

personal elements of my face that this keeps it in the animal world

keeps it in the animal world

keeps it in the animal world the animal kingdom it’s unlike anything

the animal kingdom it’s unlike anything

the animal kingdom it’s unlike anything else that we connect with and relate to

else that we connect with and relate to

else that we connect with and relate to I think there’s a celebration and

I think there’s a celebration and

I think there’s a celebration and talking about the connection there was a

talking about the connection there was a

talking about the connection there was a time where people really knew for

time where people really knew for

time where people really knew for necessity what was happening in the

necessity what was happening in the

necessity what was happening in the natural world and now we don’t have that

natural world and now we don’t have that

natural world and now we don’t have that necessity and the other things that are

necessity and the other things that are

necessity and the other things that are conveniences in our lives totally

conveniences in our lives totally

conveniences in our lives totally outweigh that understanding and possibly

outweigh that understanding and possibly

outweigh that understanding and possibly we’re really missing it