Prey Taxidermy

Bird lab! I was honored to be co-teaching Bird Anatomy & Dissection Lab with Professor Dr. John McCormack of The Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College. We dissected an Amazon Parrot (who passed at a rehab facility) and I was able the bring out an American White Pelican to show wing structure. Though I am a taxidermist, prepping birds parallels with the work at research collections of museums & educational institutions. Mostly though, it’s just a pleasure to learn from t...he scientists I have the honor of working with. You can learn more by following @mlzbirds @mccorm_john @occidentalcollege . . #ornithology #birds #moorelabofzoology #specimenprep #oxy #occidental #science #taxidermy #animalfacts #allis #allismarkham #preytaxidermy See more

Birds of a feather make art together. It’s time for my Bird Taxidermy Class with @atlasobscura. While this class is designed for all beginners, it can serve as a next step for those who took my previous course. Step inside my taxidermy studio to learn the finer details of preserving birds. ... This step-by-step demonstration course will focus on the anatomy, preparation and mounting of a European Starling from frozen to finished using techniques you can do at home. In addition, I’ll provide a brief walk through on techniques for mammals prepping skins, tanning leather, sculpting forms, mounting, and finishing work. Only $60 includes all 3 sessions: Session 1 (Saturday, 2/20, 34:30PM ET): How it’s done: taxidermy 101 & bird prep Session 2 (Saturday, 2/27, 34:30PM ET): Bird prep & form creation Session 3 (Saturday, 3/6, 34:30PM ET): Bird mounting, grooming, posing & ethical specimen sourcing By the end of this course, you’ll not only have a deeper understanding of taxidermy, but you’ll also be equipped with printable PDFs of each step, tools & resources that will help you practice bird taxidermy at home. PURCHASE: pop on over to @atlasobscura or click my profile link to purchase. . . Photo by @linneabullion #taxidermy #taxidermyart #birdtaxidermy #ornithology #taxidermyclass #virtualclasses #learntaxidermy #atlasobscura #atlasobscurasociety #taxidermyworkshop #biology #science #naturalhistorymuseum #allismarkham #preytaxidermy

I’m back! Sorry I’ve been MIA for a bit. I was terribly sick with the shingles. What are the shingles? It’s truly fascinating. The shingles are actually the varicella-zoster virus the same virus that causes Chickenpox. If you’ve had the Chickenpox, the virus lives in the nerve tissue near your spine forever. The shingles is just a reactivation of the virus. It causes crazy nerve pain and often blisters. What’s crazy is that it only effects one side of the body. This is beca...use it travels on nerves which move along hemispheres of the body. So, you’re basically split down the middle and one side is very very painful for a month or more. What causes Shingles? It’s not contagious to those who have had Chickenpox. So, most people who get Shingles develop it from physical or mental stress. Also bad luck. Also 2020. There are so many other causes as well. I’m blaming mine on the stress of 2020. I don’t often recognize my stress and just keep moving. This year I’m trying to change that; to be more aware and take care of myself. So, take care of yourself too. Otherwise your body might just release a dormant virus like a Kraken. . Special thanks to @linneabullion to some gorgeous photos. I’ll be excited to share more of this shoot soon. See more

Hoo Hoo... Hoo’s eyes are these? These are the eyes of a Western Screech Owl I’m prepping for the Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College @mlzbirds . Owls have unique eyes in that they have a bone as part of the eyeball (the scleral bone shown here.) That’s one of the reasons owls are known for their substantial neck turning; their eyeballs are stationary in their skull. I’ve taken the eye apart so that you can see the different components that give them such incredible si...ght. . . #ornithology #biology #museumcollections #screechowls #anatomy #nassology #moorelab #birds #science #museums #animalfacts #birdfacts See more

Let’s all listen to science. Beyond using our common sense and critical thinking as we vote for science-minded candidates, you can listen to science podcasts. Specifically, you can listen to the new podcast ‘Specimens’ by my dear friend & talented taxidermist, @ellekayetaxidermy . This is not an ad and it’s not just because she is my dear friend. It’s because it’s a great listen and a bright light to me right now.... ‘Specimens’ takes a look at conservation through the eyes of wildlife artists, collections and museum professionals. And, Elle is completely charming as well as knowledgeable. Shout outs to the first two guests pictured here, @kenr.walker and @birdhousetaxidermy . Both talented taxidermists, wonderful humans and extremely knowledgeable professionals. @specimenspod . . #taxidermy #taxidermie #specimens #podcast #science #sciencepodcast #ellekaye #musems #naturalhistorymuseum #animalfacts #zoology #biology

Tomorrow begins virtual taxidermy classes! So excited to be partnering with Atlas Obscura on an intensive taxidermy 3-class series.. We’ll be covering taxidermy history, overview of different techniques, a full start-to-finish lesson and in-depth discussions from professionals from around the world. More information and purchase here: ... https://www.atlasobscura.com//introduction-to-taxidermy-on

So honored to have the talented & lovely @ellekayetaxidermy interviewing me on IG Live for the UK Guild of Taxidermists’ annual journal. We will be talking about ‘Stuffed’, the documentary, which is available on Amazon right now. (That gives you three days to watch it if you haven’t already). Stuffed is an elegant and captivating portrayal of taxidermists and their practices, who love animals, and see life whereas others see only death. It looks at the intersection of scienc...e and art, and reveals the importance of preserving nature. Directed by the power-house @historyboutique Tune in live at @ellekayetaxidermy to comment & ask questions directly 11.30AM PST/19.30PM BST. Set your alarms people! This interview will be transcribed and consolidated for the UK Guild of Taxidermists annual journal. Photo credit for this remarkable image goes to @iancredible . . #taxidermist #taxidermy #femaletaxidermist #femaleartist #taxidermyart #taxidermie #stuffed #naturalhistory #naturalhistorydocumentary #taxidermydocumentary #allis #allismarkham #stuffedmovie #museums #science #preytaxidermy

Getting close to animals is a privilege and one of my favorite parts of my job. It’s important for me to observe live animals so that my work can be more accurate. Sometimes observing them is through hikes, but this time I’ve visited my friends at @conservation.ambassadors.zty You may remember them from the documentary ‘Stuffed’ (@stuffeddocumentary ) Conservation Ambassators is a rescue zoo comprised of animals mostly from the illegal pet trade, found injured or some other r...eason why they need a home. (Basically, this isn’t a ‘Tiger King’ situation). I am also honored to take their animals once they’ve passed away to continue to utilize them for education. As the founder Dave says You’ve got livestock, you get deadstock. Though they usually support themselves through school educational programs, Conservation Ambassators has had to create new ways to support their rescue due to the pandemic. Feeding all these animals isn’t cheap. They’re now offering private (masked) tours and experiences by appointment. The lovely Lisa took me & my ‘germ pod’ around the zoo and I HIGHLY recommend it. Her knowledge and compassion of these animals is unmatched. You can support this rescue zoo while having a rare and unforgettable experience. And hey, if you can’t do that, maybe donate to help feed some of these beautiful creatures? I’ll put links in the My Story or pop on over to @conservation.ambassadors.zty . Animals: River Otter, Opossum, Mountain Lion, Slow Loris, Raven, Bald Eagle, Allis & Maya the Spider Monkey, Paloma & Kinkajou, Bentley & Beelz the Raven. . . #taxidermy #taxidermie #rescuezoo #rescueanimals #conservationambassadors #animalfacts #conservation #wildlife #zoology #biology #allis #allismarkham #preytaxidermy See more

Thursday! I’m very excited to be talking with Ink Dwell’s Jane Kim. Jane is a scientific illustrator and is best known for her large-scale murals. Most famously, Jane created the Wall of Birds at Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology. You may also have seen her book on the creation of that mural, ‘Wall of Birds’ by Jane Kim & Thayer Walker. Jane will discuss her work, nerd out on birds with us and talk about scientific illustration. I dunno, maybe we can get her to tell us all her secrets... You can watch live: Instagram.com/Allis and ask questions on Thursday Sept 10th at 12pm PST. After that, I’ll add it to IG tv.

Today at 12pm pst! Talk to the author of ‘Kingdom Under Glass’, Jay Kirk about the history of Taxidermy. Instagram.com/Allis

Let’s hang out! This Wednesday I’ll be part of an Amazon Prime Watch Party showing the taxidermy documentary ‘Stuffed’ staring your’s truly. Basically, we all watch it and chat about the mysterious and beautiful world of taxidermy with the talented director, Erin Derham. It’s free and I promise to make a lot of animal jokes and share a lot of taxidermy secrets!... Space is limited to just 100 people but there are some spots left! DETAILS: The link to watch and chat LIVE with Erin and Allis will be emailed to RSVPs at 7:45pm EST / 4:45pm PST(30 minutes before the screening begins) on August 19. This event is free for Amazon Prime subscribers in the United States. Watch Party attendees will be let into the event/chat on a first come, first serve basis. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stuffed-watch-party-with-direc

Sometimes, you have to sweat the small stuff. I taxidermied this tiny Button Quail chick several years ago for my friend, Lauren. It was one of her’s that didn’t make it. Yes, doing small specimens is very hard. One of the things we do to mitigate the delicacy of small specimens is to keep them cold while we work. Why? Because: specimen + heat = bacteria growth (aka rotting). This is true of all specimens. Think about your refrigerator. It’s there to keep organic matter (mea...t, veggies, etc) cool. The lower temperature slows the deterioration process. Same concept here. With small specimens, I usually work in a cool room, on a frozen marble slab as a tray and am constantly popping them back in the freezer to cool down. Also, not touching them with my warm hands and using cold metal tools instead is vital. So, some days you wear a giant puffy coat and work on tiny birds. Such is life. . . #taxidermy #taxidermie #birdtaxidermy #science #ornitholgy #babychicktaxidermy #learntaxidermy #naturalhistorymuseum #allis #allismarkham #preytaxidermy See more

Eye-dentify these! In taxidermy, the eyes we use are either glass or acrylic replicas. As you can imagine, we keep many different sizes, colors and iris types in stock. Taxidermy suppliers sell many of these, but often for exotic species we order blanks and paint our own. Sometimes we even make the acrylic eyeballs ourselves. Can you guess the different eyes here? Swipe to see how you did and let me know!... . . #taxidermy #taxidermie #nassology #biology #zoology #ornithology #animalfacts #learntaxidermy #animalfacts #taxidermyeyes #allis #allismarkham #preytaxidermy @ Prey Taxidermy See more

Deconstruction & reconstruction. First we are like scientists to take the specimen apart. Next we are artists to rebuild the specimen. Taxidermy is a fascinating medium that may seem odd from the outside. Like all things however, there is more under the skin.... Here you can see a Gouldian Finch in the prep process, along with the tools I use & the body that will fill it. Next, a completed one (from a while ago) sat atop the biography of the ornithologist who named them, John Gould. . . #taxidermy #taxidermie #nassology #ornithology #johngould #gouldianfinch #science #birdtaxidermy #learntaxidermy #naturalhistorymuseum #museums #allis #allismarkham #preytaxidermy

Pelican minus the Pelican. This is the skin of an American White Pelican. I have removed the skull, leaving the skin including the gular pouch (stretchy yellow skin for holding & eating tasty treats). I have also removed the neck, body and legs. The entire inside will be a sculptural representation of the bird. The skin will be cleaned to remove all muscle, tissue and fat before putting it on the sculpture. I am often surprised when people ask me if we just fill it with che...micals or ‘stuff’ it. Crazily, I had a friend I knew for YEARS ask me if I could just spray something on a dead bird. Smh. What’s the biggest misconception you had about taxidermy? *Specimen is protected and for a museum under federal permit* . #taxidermy #taxidermie #taxidermist #ornithology #ornithologyphotography #pelican #birdtaxidermy #science #naturalhistorymuseum #animalfacts #birdfacts #allis #allismarkham #preytaxidermy

Mini Taxidermy Lessons today at 9am PST! In honor of historical taxidermist, Martha Maxwell. Join us at 9am Live for taxidermy lessons from @jazmine_miles_long @__wunderkammer__ @dakotahrose @ellekayetaxidermy @gotham_taxidermy @oraclekc @mickeyalicekwapis . These talented ladies are going to drop some knowledge and do Martha proud!

On tomorrow’s Dead-Stream we’ll be celebrating the birthday of Martha Maxwell with mini-lessons from some female taxidermists. You can watch at Instagram.com/allis Who is Martha Maxwell? She was a pioneer in the art of taxidermy in the mid-1800s and the first person to put animals in a natural setting (known as a ‘diorama’). Not the first woman; the first PERSON. I will be talking more about Martha Maxwell’s history and my talented compatriots will be dropping some taxidermy... knowledge from their home-studios. Joining us will be: Instagram.com/dakotahrose Instagram.com/oraclekc Instagram.com/gotham_taxidermy Instagram.com/ellekayetaxidermy Instagram.com/mickeyalicekwapis Instagram.com/__wunderkammer__ Instagram.com/jazmine_miles_long Martha Maxwell’s contributions to taxidermy shows us what a positive force diversity brings to the industry. We need more. We must create accessibility, inclusion and implement change/representation in taxidermy. Check out these ladies and their online resources, and make sure to join us on Tuesday, July 21st at 9 am PST (Check your local times)!