. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. PEOPLE & PLACES Taxidermy: Ancient Practice is Now Art Form By Ann Green • Photographs by Scott D. Taylor A, . s you step inside Sandra Owens' Columbia workshop, a red fox is perched on a small wood stump, as if it is going to leap forward. Nearby, a dark brown otter is stretched out on its belly on a dirt-like surface, as if it is just got back from a swim in the river. Across the room, a green-headed mallard duck has its white and black wings spread out like it is going to fly away. Owens created all
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. PEOPLE & PLACES Taxidermy: Ancient Practice is Now Art Form By Ann Green • Photographs by Scott D. Taylor A, . s you step inside Sandra Owens' Columbia workshop, a red fox is perched on a small wood stump, as if it is going to leap forward. Nearby, a dark brown otter is stretched out on its belly on a dirt-like surface, as if it is just got back from a swim in the river. Across the room, a green-headed mallard duck has its white and black wings spread out like it is going to fly away. Owens created all these lifelike representations of animals and their habitats. In her eight years as a taxidermist, Owens has mounted a variety of wildlife in realistic poses and settings for Goose Creek State Park, Merchants Millpond State Park, Pettigrew State Park and Hammocks Beach State Park. For the Goose Creek Environmental Education Center, Owens designed a chunky brown beaver that looks like it is going to slap the water with its tail. The beaver is lying on a dark brown base near a tree stump embedded with teeth marks. "Sandra is able to put the animals in the context of their habitat and works with us to make sure the poses are realistic," says Goose Creek park ranger Phoebe Wahab. "The quality of taxidermy work is critical when you are working with school children who zero in on anything that is. ABOVE: Sandra Owens has been a taxidermist for eight LEFT: Completed projects show realistic poses. wrong. We had a bobcat that became more of a distraction than a learning ; Owens also mounts large and small games for hunters. Occasionally, she mounts her own game. "A lot of people don't have the stomach to handle taxidermy," says Owens. "I have hunted a long time and been around ; One of Owens' most prized posses- sions is a 250-pound black bear that sits on a cypress stump in her living room. With its mouth open and paw on a kne
Size: 1729px × 1444px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionunclibra, booksubjectoceanography
