Oracles of April

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's Grand Holiday Party - Part 3 }

:: Dec 22nd :: 4pm-9pm :: Wanna know our line up for our Holiday Party?! Dang, I am excited - check out these women ::

 

Hungry Foxes

Hungry Foxes is alternative folk artist, Hannah Albina. Her music is meditative yet raw. She sings from her heart and plays from her gut. Currently residing in Kansas City, Hungry Foxes is about to begin work on her first album.

hungryfoxes.bandcamp.com/music

Margo May

“Inspired by everyone from Loretta Lynn to Lykke Li, Margo May has been writing songs since she was 15. Because she was underage at the time, May slowly gained some traction in her hometown, Kansas City, by playing whatever coffee houses and venues would let her on stage. That was a comfortable place for May as she’d worked in professional theatre as a kid. Now that she’s older, May balances her love of acting with her passion for pop, crafting songs than span a spectrum which mirrors her influences. “At the end of the day, though,” May has said, “I know my strength and it is folk music.” Despite appreciating the immediacy of pop, May also understands that folk music ages well. It’s also a lot more portable and playable for a solo artist on the rise, and it suits the sound of heartbreak a bit better.”  -The Blue Grass Situation, 2015

margomay.bandcamp.com

 

Teri Quinn

A Northern girl with a Southern heart living in the Mid-West, Teri Quinn writes tunes that are sweet yet savory. With her clawhammer banjo playing and old time hollerin', she mixes an old fashioned sound with a modern grit. Drawing inspiration from moon phases and matters of the heart, her enchanting presence is sure to bewitch you.

Ana Maldonado

Ana Maldonado will play beautiful music to make your heart sing.

See you all Friday the 22nd!

{ Oracle's Grand Holiday Party - Part 2 }

:: Dec 22nd :: 4pm-9pm :: If you saw our previous post, here is another sneak peak of the rest of the artists that will be attending our grandiose Holiday Party!  Come join us and these talented women for our extended holiday hour and last minute shopping that will be perfect for some  fun time and family friendly event (especially for those out of town guests)! We will be turning Oracle into a mini market of our local artists and locally made goods, along with live music of some super talented KC musicians! 

:: Here's a sneak peak of four out of seven local makers attending ::

 

Amanda Lee - Pleasesendword

PleaseSendWord brings you small batch witch crafted herbal medicines. All work rooted in a belief in body sovereignty and radical autonomy. Self care as ritual / ritual as self care. for magic. for medicine.

She has spent years of study to come back to Kansas City with her knowledge of green witchery, salves, teas, and tinctures. More info here http://www.pleasesendword.com/home

Evie Englezos - Sweet Destructor

Sweet Destructor is Evie Englezos,- printmaker turned ceramicist and volunteer wildlife rehabber. While working she thinks about earth and the natural world, the beauty of mystical thinking, death and humankind's desire to cheat it, past and future histories, ancient and recent mythologies, science and fiction and fantasy, the joy of creation and the necessity of destruction. You know, the regular stuff.
http://sweetdestructor.bigcartel.com

Teri Quinn - Rattlebone Design

Sustainably sourced creations with natures curiosities. Teri Quinn creates works of art out of materials gifted to her by our sweet mother nature. From statement jewelry to wall art, she packs in her magic to grace your home or body. She will also be part of our magical musicians songwriters that will be playing for the evening, more info to come.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/rattlebonedesign 

Tara Tonsor - Lost & Found Design

Midwestern vibes, nature-enthusiast, and a curious wanderer. This is Lost & Found Design. Tara Tonsor started this company in 2006, taking apart found jewelry, hand-me-down items like my grandmother's charm bracelet, and thrift store sales. Five years later, discovering laser cutting. Blending graphic design & illustration, she translates hand-drawn artwork into new technology techniques. Using natural materials such as wood, leather, and bronze paired with modern design, Lost & Found Design has now branched from jewelry into home goods, and can personalize items you see listed.
lostandfounddesignus

See you all Friday the 22nd!