This is the second installment of my new “Fearless Woman” series. Cuz girls rule. To read Vol. 1 go –> HERE.
I want you to meet Beth Beverly… or as I like to call her: Girl Taxidermist.
She pushes the boundaries of life in a way that inspires me. She is working in a mostly male profession, making taxidermy into an art form. She is beautiful, vibrant, and oh-so-hip. My sweet brother met her and told her that we had to meet. He introduced us via the internet a little while back and since then we’ve become pen pals.
The idea that she can make artistic creations out of the parts that I don’t do anything with when I hunt is enchanting to me… it closes the gap for me in how I view paying the full price of the meal. When I host my Girl Hunter Adventure Getaways or take anyone hunting and they have their first kill, I have them send a piece of it to Beth so she can immortalize it for them…
Exhibit A:
One of these days she and I are going to do a “kill it, cook it, create it” workshop together. It’s going to be epic.
When she first introduced herself to me she sent me this as a gift. I have it in a spot where I can admire it every day.
And then she sent me the now famous… or infamous… THIS.
Here is a little Q&A we did with her right after she hopped off a ship… yeah, you heard me. I told you she’s a cool cat.
1) What’s the best aspect of your job?
The freedom to take my time on pieces, let them speak to me, and use them as a means to connect with people I may not have the same dynamic with, had we met under different circumstances.
2) Describe the moment you realized you wanted to do this full time.
I decided to pull the trigger and invest in formal training after exhibiting some of my early work in a gallery show, and seeing, quite frankly, how shitty the quality was. I could only teach myself so much from a book. I had spectacular ideas in my mind’s eye but was lacking the skills to execute them. I had also grown quite miserable in what had become a toxic work situation so it was a tad easier to jump off that cliff, so to speak.
3) Who is your favorite female role model?
Temple Grandin, no question.
4) You recently filmed a TV show. Did the cameras initially effect the way you interacted at work or was it natural from the beginning?
Sometimes it felt a bit forced, but I understand that limited time and budgets make for a compromised reality of sorts. If those constraints had not applied, I would have been happy to work in front of the cameras all day long. I enjoy performing and am not ashamed to admit I lavish in the attention of others. Combining my craft and love of the spotlight was an uncanny fit for me.
5) What is your favorite and least favorite animal to work with?
I enjoy chickens and game birds because their skin tends to be tough and they come in such a brilliant array of colors and patterns. I shy away from mice and other tiny mammals because getting those petite features just right has always felt out of my grasp.
6) How have your views on death changed since getting into this industry?
This work has introduced me to farm life in a way that I’d never expected. Because I source most of my specimen from a small chicken, pork & goat operation in upstate New York, I spend a couple days up there when I make my treks to empty their freezer. Through my two farmer friends, Bailey & Thomas, I see how nature takes its course and as stewards of the land, they just flow with it. One minute, they could be sitting down to dinner and the next assessing a dire birthing situation with a pregnant goat. Animals get sick and die, and when you work with them it becomes an intimate experience. Animals also give birth to the most heart shatteringly adorable babies, and to see the full cycle has given me a more relaxed attitude about death. I have always had a skewed view towards mortality since reading Slaughterhouse Five as a teen – it gave me a completely new perspective on linear time and how we age.
7) What famous designer would you love to collaborate with?
I almost said Elsa Schiaparelli but then realized not only is she dead but I probably couldn’t stand to collaborate with anyone. Maybe when I’m a bit more mature, but for now I still have far too much ego attached to my ideas and the thought of working with someone just reeks of compromise.
8) You’ve made raccoon baculum into necklaces for women seeking baby mojo. What other lore have you come across in the industry?
While making a custom rabbit foot charm for a client I learned about the Celtic belief that the left hind foot of a rabbit, when shot with a silver bullet in a cemetery on the night of a full moon, would not only serve as an amulet for the wearer but also cripple the witch who had shapeshifted into that very rabbit. I have mixed feelings about this, as I am staunchly against hurting witches.
9) Do you have any advice for other women who are aiming to be fearless with their passions?
Be willing to give up everything else for at least three years (day off? HA.) and be prepared to cry on a daily basis.
(Note from Georgia: Um, YEAH, I get this question a lot and I couldn’t agree more.)
10) You obviously don’t cringe easily, but describe the ickiest moment of your career?
There’s not one specific moment but some animals arrive to me in worse shape than others. Let me just say that everything has an asshole; you can do the math.
To see all of Beth Beverly’s amazing work and load up on Christmas gifts (look at the amazing ornament below!) visit: Diamond Tooth Taxidermy
