{ Upcoming Taxidermy Classes at Oracle! }

We are so excited to announce… Mickey Alice Kwapis coming to Oracle:
 

 

Mickey has taught classes here at Oracle before, a beautifully thought out workshop that she has taught for years all around North America. Last time we saw her here in Kansas City, she taught us how to press and preserve flowers, wet specimens, and an array of taxidermy classes... which was so inspiring to watch all the thoughtfully posed and well preserved wet specimens our students went home with! But for those of you who don't know her just yet, here is a little quick peak from her website about this lovely talented lady; 

"Hey there! I'm Mickey. I'm a Midwestern taxidermist and craftsperson. Born and raised in Michigan, I took an interest in nature and biology from an early age. My obsession with animals, coupled with a desire to hold onto tangible memories, led to an unexpected intersection. My passion for taxidermy was discovered one night with a dead squirrel, a bottle of wine, and an old biology textbook. I have been working in the taxidermy industry since March of 2012 and I'm recognized internationally for my pop-up taxidermy workshops for beginners. Additionally, I have practiced metalsmithing since 2004 and create handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces inspired by natural history and the occult.

I practice sustainable taxidermy methods, am a member of the National Taxidermists Association, and have worked, volunteered, and taught at museums and universities all over the world. Last year I won a third-place ribbon for my peacock (his name is Kevin) at the NTA National Championships. I have also served as a consultant to novelist Lauren Beukes for the award-winning book Broken Monsters. You can read a bunch of articles and watch a bunch of short documentaries about my work here. My lectures are primarily targeted towards those with an interest in biology, science, and natural history and focus on the role taxidermy plays in understanding the past, present, and future of our ecosystem. I reside in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago with four living pets and a whole lot of dead ones.

Want to know more? Read my FAQ. Interested in seeing photos of the taxidermy process? Follow along on Instagram."

 

*Also stick around for July First Friday - Mickey will be showing off and selling her work and her jewelry during our First Friday Crossroads Artwalk! Join us Friday July 6th, 6-9pm for some beverages, art, and a good time!

{ Soil Collective x Oracle :: Preservation }

Preservation

The idea of preservation is an interesting one and something necessary and vital to Oracle itself. We as animal lovers have also been focused on the idea to support local farmers, local artists, and the preservation of the natural world around us. We have been itching to show that to you in a literal sense.... in food. January 21st & the 22nd we are collaborating with local chefs to investigate this to its entirety. Welcome to our good friends, Soil Collective:

Throughout the year preservation methods are applied to all types of ingredients through a variety of processes to ensure availability of these particular items when ingredients are scarce and the land is cold. Winter is a time of year that places importance on the success of the hunt, the preserved bounty from the seasons past, and the strength of the wine to get through the frozen nights. 

Oracle is a place that is also dedicated to preservation and the beauty of decay while still celebrating life, if even through death.  Please join us for this thoughtful and original dinner on January 21. Tickets are $70 (includes food, drink pairings & taxes)

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Soil Collective is a group of like-minded chefs dedicated to researching and exploring local ingredients, helping feeding those in need, reducing food waste, and forming meaningful connections with farmers and guests to provide a unique dining experience.

Join us for the experience. For January 21st dinner tickets, please click here xx

If you have ever watched Hannibal, there is a fine line of beauty and death - especially in food. Janice Poon made that a reality for the TV show. Her sketches are just... to die for. For more information and a peek into her brain (not to eat), check out her blog http://janicepoonart.blogspot.co.uk/   

{ 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!

{ Oracle's Grand Holiday Party - Part 1 }

:: Dec 22nd :: 4pm-9pm :: We will be having a grandiose Holiday Party and extended holiday hour for not only last minute shopping but a fun time and family friendly event for the family! 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 three out of seven local makers attending ::

 

Laura Tyler - Sticks and Stones

Laura Tyler, creator of Sticks and Stones Ceramics, is a Kansas City artist who is influenced by the desire to collect nature and to bring it into domestic spaces.  Laura grew up fascinated by her grandmother’s home collections, taxidermy covered walls, and plant filled rooms.  Now, as an artist, she finds influence from her grandmother’s home collections of nature.  Laura collects animal bones, arrowheads, shells, and rocks that act as references for her work.  These collections are manifested through Sticks and Stones’ sculpted clay skull mounts, dinnerware sets, and rock-like planters.  She strives to continuously find ways to bring Midwest flora and fauna into her ceramic work.

Andrea Bledsoe - Recrudescence

Located in Kansas City, MO Andrea Minnette Bledsoe specializes in still/motion styling and jewelry design. She utilizes molten metals, electroplated flora, as well as vintage and modern elements to create limited runs of unique adornment. Her styling and design work has been featured in branding campaigns, music videos, runways and creative media content.
See more at.... www.ambstyling.com

Sandy Leppin - Rook and Owl Studio

Rook and Owl Studio is a one-person operation producing artwork that is one part goth, one part nerd, and one part trickster for eccentric and curious souls. The Studio is run solo by Sandy Leppin, a multidisciplinary artist who has worked for years in various theaters across the United States as a scenic designer, scenic artist, and properties artisan. With her extensive background in combining craft and vision, she uses Rook and Owl Studio as a space where history, mythology, humor, and pop culture spark into life through fresh lenses. Leppin is an ArtistINC Kansas City fellow. She has also received two Kennedy Center Commendations for Achievement in Scenic Design, the Mordecai Gorelik Award for Excellence in Scenic Design, and was included in the Toronto World Stage Design Exhibition.
See more at.... http://rookandowlstudio.com