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Beastly Love: Diane Armitage
Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 02:35PM
NAME: Diane Armitage
AGE: 52
OCCUPATION: Antique Store Owner
LOCATION: Haunted San Juan Capistrano, CA
TOTAL NUMBER OF TAXIDERMY PIECES: Too many to count!
FAVOURITE PIECE: Albino Raccoon
1. What was your very first piece of taxidermy? My taxidermy obession started out as “animal rescue” when a friend was going to throw away a black Russian boar’s head. As he was headed to the trash bin with it, I said “Hey wait a minute! That boar’s head would be perfect with my haunted house décor.” So Boaris was my first.
2. Where do you find pieces for your collection? At flea markets and online. It’s funny because a lot of time when I find a really strange looking piece on ebay, the description wil say, “Must sell or wife will divorce me” - LOL
3. Where do you display your taxidermy? In my living room and at my antiques booth. My collection is constantly changing. Currently I have a large wall of deer heads, a strange old full-body bobcat, a Victorian black cat, a 1920s bear skin rug, a trio of smaller heads – an albino deer, a snarling raccoon and a very weird old coyote that looks like a Chupacabra. Also, several geese, one large one in flight. In addition, I collect old taxidermy forms and I have a really nice one of a fox with glass eyes and all. I especially like albino or white animals and have several of those, including a snarling white possum that came from a natural history museum.
4. How or when did you become interested in taxidermy? When I was a child, my mom and dad would take me to the doctor and the doctor was a big game hunter and the large waiting room had many Africa animal heads on the wall, including a rhinocerous, and a zebra. He also had an aquarium and a large area behind glass with a bunch of mice. I think my fascination began there and then really took off when I started decorating my house in a dark Victorian style. Antique taxidermy just goes so well with coffins and skeletons.
5. What do you think taxidermy is? Art? Souvenir? Kitsch? Nature? Depending on how well it was put together, it can either be art or kitsch. I actually prefer the older pieces that have shrunk up a bit so the animal’s eyes are bulging out a bit, so my collection usually tends to be a bit on the macabre side, not as much on the artistic one.
6. Do any pieces have names? Yes, I’m afraid so. I have Edith, the albino raccoon and Tahlullah, the bobcat. And of course, Boaris the boar.
7. Have you ever prepared a taxidermy mount? No, I don’t think I could handle the blood and guts part of it.
8. Do you worry about displaying so much death... that is, do you ever get negative reactions to your collection? I don’t worry about it, but I do get negative reactions. One friend saw my Victorian leopard head that is displayed in the viewing window of an antique child’s coffin and she said it was “horrifying.” It didn’t bother me since that is just the reaction I like.
9. Why do you think taxidermy is back in fashion? I think there is a lot more interest these days in the strange and the unique. I was amazed when I opened my antiques booth last year that it would do so well, especially during a recession. I guess people not only need to pay the rent, but they need to have the occasional taxidermy raccoon or mummified cat.
10. If you were reincarnated as an animal, what would you be and why? I would want to come back as a pampered pug because it may be a short life, but it would be a great one!
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