Idler Academy: Taxidermy Masterclass with Suzette Field
Saturday 30th June
1.30pm – 6.30pm
If you’ve ever fancied enlivening your mantelpiece with a dancing, singing, pipe-smoking or motorbike-riding mouse this workshop is for you. Come for a fun, practical and fascinating Saturday afternoon.
Taxidermy has been accepted, both as a craft and an art, for centuries, and is once again making a place for itself in the homes of thousands of enthusiasts. All it takes to learn to stuff your own animals is a little basic knowledge and a creative imagination. Join taxidermist Suzette Field for a beginners class in naturalist taxidermy looking. All materials – including a mouse for each student – will be provided, and each class member will leave at the end of the day with their own taxidermied mole.
Suzette will take each student through the step-by-step process of taxidermy: from ethically sourcing your rodents, to preservation, stuffing, and positioning. By the end, you’ll have a happy little mouse, a quirky talking point for your mantelpiece and a new experience to tell your friends about.
Students can pose their mouse in a naturalist setting but they will also be introduced to the art of anthropomorphism, the attribution of human characteristics to animals, plants or non-living things. This practice has been widely explored through taxidermy, most famously by the Victorian taxidermist Walter Potter.
The class is intended for beginners and no former taxidermy experience is required.
Studio Holders receive a 15% discount, please contact cathleen@idler.co.uk for details.
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