Today's inspiration is .. dead things?

So I have enjoyed collecting dead bits since I was a kid. Dad gradually added to my eerie collection of rabbits feet, ducks feet where you would pull the tendon so it opened, fox furs and all types of found feathers and bits. As a youngster I then pinned beetles and butterflies, found cocoons, bones and collected seashells, sharks teeth and dried starfish and seahorses.

Now as an adult things haven’t changed! I have nests, shells, feathers, fossils and framed butterflies. Plus leather boots, faux fur and a mounted deer head. I still want a cow-hide rug and to eventually create some art using dried sparrow wings (well I think its a neat idea).

I am far from morbid and don’t actually like blood, guts and hurting things .. but where does the dead bits fascination come from?

Caveman, ancient Egyptians, biologists, shamans and fashion.

At least I am not alone, dead thing collectors have been around since mankind evolved for either survival, religious, scientific, medical, hunting or decorative and artistic purposes. I guess its part of our survival DNA for all these reasons.

Do you collect dead things?

My collection is a representation of the beauty of nature in the home plus I feel no more horrified with leather than I do cowhides, dead butterflies and deer heads. I love using dead things to decorate and provide a more earthy tone to what would be an artificially created environment, it works well with my use of natural wood, interesting fibres and nature based art.

I hope you like this collection I found online below,