April and Spring are here already! While the weather (in KC at least) is still up and down from day to day… the sun has been showing itself more often than not. Plants are blooming, animals (and people in cars) are acting wild.

We’ve all been hard at work in the studio getting so much new work ready! Our in-house made double-pane glass frames are back! These go so incredibly fast, so if you’ve been hoping for one you may want to visit us sooner than later. There are also plenty of new freeze-dried taxidermy pieces ready… cute chicks, dapper baby ostriches, a fancy sassy chicken. Ooo annnnnd… did you hear about our giraffe skull?!

April also heralds the official start of the Crossroads First Friday Art Walks! April 5th Melissa and I will be in the shop 11am to 7pm so come in and say hi while you’re out taking in the Arts District!

Meanwhile Alessandra will be heading up to Chicago. She’s taking some showstopper pieces with her up to The Oddities Flea Market! Oracle is so completely honored to be included in this nationally known show curated by Ryan Matthew Cohn (you may have seen him as an expert on The Science Channel’s show “Oddities.”) So if you are in Chicago April 6th and 7th, stop by and say hi! She’s been working on a series of taxidermy/articulation projects… the outer taxidermy only partially surrounds a completed skeletal articulation. They are stunning. But we’re looking for the right phrase to describe this process… Skeledermy? Skeleton Tax? Probably not… we are open to suggestions.

While Alessandra is on the road, the KC Studio will be open our regular hours (Wednesday through Sunday 11am to 6pm). So KC folks, be sure to visit Melissa and I in the shop! We’ve got some fun new projects we’re finishing up while the boss is away…

And just around the corner in May we will be heading to Denver for the Fauna Faire at RitualCravt May 11th, 12-6pm. The line-up is stellar and we are super excited to be joined by Atropos Curios, The Blacksnail Forge, Jane Almirall, Opal & Gold, Sweet Destructor, and Tyler Thrasher! No tickets necessary… just pop on in and see the unique works we’re all bringing!

While in Denver, Jess Ellis (of Atropos Curios) and Alessandra will be teaching three different classes together that weekend:

Friday, May 10th is “Lepidoptera: The Mystical Beauty of Moths and Butterflies” an educational and magical workshop led by these two entomology enthusiasts! You will learn about the ecological, environmental, and spiritual importance of moths and butterflies AND pin your own Sunset Moth in class that you will take home with you.

Sunday, May 12th is “Cicada Magic” a journey to the Underworld through the lens of a beautiful and mysterious invertebrate. In this workshop you will learn about cicada biology, behavior, and mythology while pinning a sustainably sourced cicada specimen of your own!

Sunday evening on May 12th Alessandra and Jess will teach their final class of the weekend, a definite fan favorite… “The Magic of Spiders!” Both of your teachers for this class are not only passionate arachnid enthusiasts, but are also spider caretakers! In this hands-on workshop you’ll learn about spider biology and ecology’s well as their mythology and spiritual symbolism while pinning your own sustainably-sourced Orb Weaver spider specimen.

Happy Spring, friends! May your month be filled with rejuvenating time outdoors and the wonder of the natural world.

— Laura

Oracle Fine Curiosities was founded in 2013 by psychologist Carrie Parker and artist/illustrator Jane Almirall. Oracle, a natural science and oddities shop with an interest in divination tools, attracted a beautiful community of customers and clients who were interested in science, art and metaphysical ephemera. Not long after opening it’s doors, Oracle entered a partnership with artist, Alessandra Dzuba, whose background in entomology and osteology became the literal backbone (*articulated spine) of the shop.

In November of 2017, Ms. Dzuba assumed sole ownership of Oracle - now Oracle Natural Science - and has continued to grow the community of natural science enthusiasts as well as spiritual growth seekers, healers and artists with her sustainable and thoughtfully curated space. Alessandra Dzuba continues her work as an artist, www.alessandradzuba.com, and showcases her one of a kind works and assemblage pieces at Every Day Original, which can be found here.

Carrie Parker has turned her focus on her intuitive counseling practice, Sacred Psyche, and has opened a beautiful space for her clients located in the Historic Tower East neighborhood at 901 East 31st St., KCMO 64109. Ms. Parker hosts events and workshops which explore a variety of divination modalities, all of which can be found on her site, www.yoursacredpsyche.com and on instagram.

Jane Almirall has returned to her first love, competitive hot dog eating. I kid! Ms. Almirall is creating an oracle divination deck, collaborating with fellow artists and creators, as well as teaching workshops and reading Tarot for clients. Her illustrations and drawings can be found at www.janealmirall.net, and on her instagram.