Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristie Whisler.
Kristie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I love every aspect of nature, from the beautiful to the bizarre and even the grotesque parts that most would rather not see. I respect Mother Earth and all animals that we are blessed to share this planet with. I am a Florida-based artist and taxidermist. In early 2014 I started Postmortem Crafts as a hobby and it has since blossomed into a small business. I enjoy creating curios and decor using items scavenged from nature, mixing beauty and death to create one-of-a-kind pieces. I love and respect all animals. My parents raised us out in the “country” and I was lucky to spend my childhood with countless animal companions such as chickens, goats, rabbits, etc. I recently finished my basic Predator Taxidermy course at Taxidermy Tech and can’t wait to expand my art with what I’ve learned in school. When I’m not creating or searching the woods for bones, I spend my time shopping at flea markets, thrifting, and collecting vinyl records. I currently share my life with my biggest supporter, my husband Chris, and our two dogs in the Central Florida area.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course, there has been struggles along the way. Finding ethically sourced bones and animal remains has its challenges. People are some of my toughest challenges. Some people assume I hate or harm animals since I work with deceased ones but that is far from the case. I respect and love all animals and explaining that to people can sometimes be hard.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an artist and taxidermist. I specialize in small curios & oddities, bone art, and taxidermy. What sets me apart from other taxidermists is that I am what I consider an “ethical” taxidermist. I use only roadkill or naturally deceased animals. I am most proud of how much I’ve grown over the last few years. Finally attending a professional taxidermy school and training under Ken Darville after years of learning on my own really makes me proud.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The pandemic really thought me a lot. I worked in the medical field during the beginning of the pandemic, only doing Art on the side. Once we got into the middle of this pandemic, I decided I was done with the medical field and wanted to focus solely on art. I took a leap of faith and left my job in March 2021 to pursue art and taxidermy full-time. Best decision I’ve ever made.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.PostmortemCrafts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postmortemcrafts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Postmortem-Crafts-100421412563236/
