$375.00
Students will learn everything they need to create their very own rat taxidermy mount, from proper skinning, degreasing/washing, to sculpting, mounting, and finishing. Students will watch a skinning and fleshing demonstration, and proceed to work with professionally cleaned and tanned skins. This will allow the students to focus on the finer details of creating a finished piece, and practice specific mounting techniques, like sculpting, fitting, and modifying a form, sewing, assembly, and grooming. We will discuss how to use reference and study anatomy for taxidermy.
Our subject will be the domestic mouse. Their beady eyes and furry feet dart across our parks, sidewalks, and sometimes our homes causing alarm, but domestic rats are loving companions doted on by many. These adorable mammals are lovely subjects for taxidermy, as many people have encountered them, and they can be posed naturalistically or anthropomorphically, depending on your preference. These rats are legally and sustainably sourced, no animals are harmed for the sake of taxidermy.
Students will go home with their custom made creations, instructions for maintaining their pieces, and newfound or nourished love of taxidermy.
Mice can be posed and outfitted as the student desires, students are welcome to bring their own accessories and bases. These mice are 3-3.5 inches long excluding tail length.
Each student will leave class with a fully finished piece, and the knowledge to create their own pieces in the future.
About the instructor-
A unique combination of science and style, Divya Anantharaman is an award winning licensed professional preserving animals with honor and compassion for clients ranging from museums, designers, collectors, and everyday naturalists. Her specialties are birds, small mammals, and anatomic anomalies, with a select number of commissions open for pets. Her work seeks to combine the demonstrative aspect of scientific presentation with the symbolic, introspective nature of art, using taxidermy to engage diverse audiences with conservation. She is passionately curious about the untapped potential of this scientific art, and sharing it with others. Her classes seek to demystify the taxidermy process, and make the field more accessible and engaging. She has recently starred in the Emmy winning documentary short, "Rearranging Skin". In her commitment to conservation, she regularly volunteers with various ornithological organizations (such as NYC Plover Project and NYC Bird Alliance). You can learn more at https://www.gothamtaxidermy.com/