Hello, there! My name is Elise Hanson and I am the taxidermist-in-training at Oracle Natural Science in Kansas City, Missouri. I am being mentored by the incredible shop owner and artist Alessandra Dzuba, and am learning on the side through various platforms by other extremely talented taxidermists, such as Elle Kaye, Divya Anatharaman, and Mickey Alice Kwapis. In short, learning taxidermy is no easy feat, but to those interested in learning the process, it comes down to a matter of knowing where to look, patience, and practice. When I was approached about making this blog, my driving force was ultimately to inspire and be of assistance to others who may be interested in exploring this evolving art form.
My appreciation for taxidermy began as a child through frequenting local nature reserves that housed taxidermy diorama structures of the different ecosystems. These visits to the reserves awakened a new sense of seeing and appreciating the natural world and its creatures that I would likely never see in my own backyard. Much later on in life, I studied art history in college and was awestruck by the radical notion that animals could be used as a medium in art making. For instance, Robert Rauschenberg became one of my favorite artists early on, with such breathtaking works such as "Monogram" (pictured below), breaking new ground in the art world by marrying such extremities of two- and three-dimensional objects.
Robert Rauschenberg, Monogram, Assemblage, 1959. Photo by me.
Throughout my life, animals have always remained one of my main constants. From parrots to guinea pigs to dogs, my families have always had several animals in their homes, and I would willingly take over as their caretaker as often as I could. Five years ago, I adopted two Netherland Dwarf rabbits, Bean and Robot, and the impact they have had on me has been indescribable. They are constantly inspiring me both in- and outside of my work, and their gentle nature has opened my eyes to considering life in a completely new way. In short, I have always had an affinity for all creatures, and cherished everything that I could learn from them.
It wasn't until I moved to Portland in 2018 that I began experimenting on my own with taxidermy. There is a breathless moment of surreal silence when you first sit down with a specimen with the intent to work with it. You are essentially breathing fresh, new life into something that would otherwise go to waste. You are suddenly coupled with the amazing ability to bring back the dead, and while it may feel slightly unnerving to hold such responsibility, it is nothing short of invigorating.
Everyone has to start somewhere! My first attempt at taxidermy, 2018.
Moving forward, I obtained my taxidermy permit this year and have been working on an exciting variety of different animals, including birds, beavers, and coyotes. My work has also expanded into creating wet specimens for Oracle and experimenting with diaphonization. As I said before, I really intend for this blog to be something accessible, digestible, and most importantly educational to anyone and everyone alike. I will be posting semi-regularly about artists I admire, as well as behind-the-scenes of different projects I am working on, and follow-up resources to check out. That being said, if there is a subject or subgenre you are interested in learning more about, please reach out to me! I am honored to be in a position where I have this platform to connect with others, and hope it can bring some marvel to aspiring artists alike.
— Elise Hanson