Sarina Brewer

When we think about sculpture, there are always a few mediums that come to mind: wood, stone, metal, paper mache. These are all versatile, and many great things have been made out of them. However, it is the deviation from the norm that I find most well-stuck in my memory- the oddities and strange charismatic formations that people make on the fringe. The work of Sarina Brewer falls into this latter category. Rather than typical media, she uses dead animals in the lost traditions of sideshow taxidermy.  her creations are amazingly lifelike, even compared to other fine art taxidermists I've seen. Her mythical creatures leap and snarl from their wooden plaques and stands with a vitality that only an expert could breathe into them. Sarina is also unique in the fact that she is a female taxidermist, and beside her craft, she has developed a macabre, eccentric persona as an artist that is as intriguing as her work. I wish I could have found more examples of her work, but since they are for sale, many are snatched up with the utmost quickness.

This piece, entitled "Franken-pussy" is made entirely of a single cat-skin, fur, skin and all. It's amazing.

 Because Brewer believes in using all of the animal, she also preserves the skinned forms of some animals in an alternate process she calls "esodermy", using parts other taxidermists would throw out.

Check out Sarina's work, which also includes jewelry and traditional-type taxidermy, at her website:

http://www.customcreaturetaxidermy.com/