Do you have mixed feelings when you enter a place that has tons of stuffed animals mounted on the walls? Perhaps that’s putting it lightly. What if you like the idea of paying homage to these creatures, but feel a little creeped out knowing that deer head was once attached to the body of an animal that roamed the earth and shared the same air we breathe? In that case, consider the alternative to taxidermy – “crochetdermy”.
Shauna Richardson is the woman behind this unique decor, which she just debuted in an exhibit at this year’s craft council. She uses crochet to create life-sized replicas of animals. Using a mixture of materials that include coarse mohair wool and glass eyes to create these realistic “sculptures” that include lions, bears, boars, and baboons. Check out the examples below to see exactly what she does.
“I use the traditional craft of crochet in a not so traditional way and have developed my own freestyle technique which I use to respond to, and highlight, the anatomy of each piece asIi go along. no two pieces are ever the same. it is meticulous work, typically using mohair yarn and a 3mm hook.”
All images courtesy of Shauna Richardson
She painstakingly creates each one by hand, a process which can take months. One can’t help admire not just the detail behind these examples, and the concept itself, which doesn’t require hunting and killing any rare animals. We have no doubt her work will be in high demand after exhibiting these examples.
