Why use animal remains?
Why not? I’ve always had an interest in taxidermy and natural history. In fact, I’ve been collecting these types of items for the past thirty years. I find a strange beauty in bones, pelts, teeth, claws, etc., so I decided to create jewellery and art in order to share that beauty with others.
Where do the bones/animal parts you use come from?
I get my bones and animals parts from various different sources. Some come from my own finds (natural death, predator hunts or road kills) and others are purchased from hunters, trappers and taxidermists. They are often scraps or pieces that would usually be thrown away. I also buy, sell and trade with other collectors.
How do I look after bone jewellery or curios?
Care of the item you have purchased does depend somewhat on what type of item it is. For example, decorated skulls are coated with a clear finish and can be wiped down with a damp cloth, but some curio shadow boxes do not have a finish and should be dry dusted only to be sure that no paint rubs off. Most jewellery can be wiped with a damp cloth. All bones and animal remains are fragile and should be handled with care. Never fully immerse any of these pieces in water. When in doubt about how to care for your item, please feel free to contact me.
Do you work with pets or companion animals?
I no longer have the space to extract bones and teeth from an entire deceased animal carcass, so I’m unable to work with pet bones, teeth or fur unless someone else prepares the remains for me. That said, if you have buried a former pet and are able to retrieve some of the bones, teeth or claws, I’d be happy to work with you on creating jewellery or art. I can also use extracted teeth from a living pet or bits of clipped fur.
Do you take custom orders?
I’ve taken many custom orders in the past and would love to do so again. However, I need to be able to obtain the parts necessary to create the piece you would like me to work on. If you are looking for something created with exotic, rare or difficult to source animal parts, I will likely be unable to help you. And if your request is for jewellery or art created with illegal animal parts, please don’t waste your time contacting me.
Do you take refunds or exchanges?
Please keep in mind that bones and animal remains can be fragile and always handle them with care. If a piece breaks or falls apart (without being dropped or handled roughly) within the first week of owning it, I will do my best to repair it. If it’s something I have shipped to you, you may be required to pay shipping costs to send it back to me. If it can’t be repaired, I will attempt to replace it. However, since these are one of a kind pieces, I may be unable to create an exact replica of the original, but I might be able to offer something similar depending upon what I have in stock at the time.
Why won’t you ship to my country?
I only sell and ship within Canada because I don’t possess the export permits necessary to send animal remains to other countries. These permits are expensive and can take months to obtain. I also don’t know your country’s rules and regulations regarding the keeping of bones, teeth, pelts, etc. and I don’t want to unknowingly violate any laws. There are many sellers outside of Canada who work with animal remains, so feel free to contact me and I might be able to help you locate an artist in your country.
Where can I find more information on laws pertaining to owning animal remains?
The laws on keeping wild animal remains in Canada vary from one province to the next, so I am not able to answer your questions regarding legalities. If you require a permit to keep or process a found dead animal or if you are in doubt about what you can and cannot collect, please contact your local Ministry of Natural Resources department. The main phone number and e-mail address for the MNR in Ontario is 1-800-387-7011 or NRISC@ontario.ca.