I have to say, I am amazed at how many women are involved in taxidermy. I never thought that women even had any interest in it. That's good! Way to go girls! I hope your husbands,brothers or boyfriends don't take advantage of you, and get their animals mounted for free. LOL Keep up the good work. Hats off to you!
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Chuck, I have been doing taxidermy for several years now and still get a laugh when a customer calls and wants to talk to the taxidermist ( my husband) he likes to play along and he really talks a good talk but he just cant cut it! hahhaha
I think alot of women are very artistically talented and have the dexterity to really focus on the artistry of taxidermy . Not saying that guys dont so the same but It is good to see more women out there. thanks and go girls !
Were would we be if the men didn't show us how.. So thank you!
I was trained by a female master taxidermist. So there. LOL
You got taught by a man by proxy. Your "master" taxidermist probably got taught by a man. So there.
Then there was this really sweet young ladie, Sarah Rose she was living in Texas, now Colorado I hear. Wendy Christeson Zink(SP), Kim Fritzler from Colorado. These were back in the early 1980's. I know there must be several more I never knew about.
The most award winning Lady of current date I know of is Karen S. of Rogers Arkansas http://www.karenstaxidermy.com/. Karen is the top of the game for ladies I believe at this time 12/19/2003
Came LONG before most of the current crop of lady taxidermist. And even those two great ladies tell me there were many involved in the industry before they became pioneers of the industry.
I remind you of a great artist named Jan George. Great woman! Jeff F.
Was Martha Maxwell originally from Wisconsin and Baraboo College, who went to Colorado in the 1860's and started a Museum of the Rocky Mountains. She exhibited a huge display at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in 1876 in Philadelphia complete with dozens of large mammals and birds.
I'm gonna go out on a limb (though not too far as I feel pretty safe in saying this) and say that if current trends continue that Amy (Ritchie)will be added to the list of great female taxidermists in years to come. To already have had such wonderful exposure in the media as well as the business success she is currently enjoying and all before her 18th birthday? Highly impressive to say the least. It's nice to see that there are others in place ready to carry the torch into the next generation of successful female taxidermists =)
But Amy is a gregarious and outgoing personality we've know since she started. I assure you that there are several very talented women out there right now in the wings who've yet to compete on a stage where they can be seen and who will give anyone a run for their money. I personally know one right now whose only been doing taxidermy for less than a year and she makes my work look sick (Not that such a feat is so great -LOL) and I'm sure there are others.
And Stephen, thank you for giving me the name of Martha Maxwell. My CRS precluded me from her name when I mentioned Pearl and Lola.
I used to correct them, telling them, "Actually, I'm the taxidermist." Half the time I don't bother to explain anymore, though. Sometimes I get the feeling even when I do explain, they don't believe me anyway. Sigh.
Three cheers for the women taxidermists!
That is, compared to Martha Maxwell and the other two ladies that George mentioned. I didn't get around to doing any taxidermy at all until about 1964.
And you shouldn't prevaricate during the holidays. I'll bet you were a flower child in 1964. LMAO I'm still looking for a woman to do birds at coming conventions. When are you gonna break down and accept?
No, that wasn't until 1967 after I had been forcibly relocated to Sacramento CA. (aka: "Frisco East") In '64 I was still in WA. hiking around in the woods and picking up dead things. My first lucky victim was a robin. (I was only a kid of 11 and didn't know any better.)