Looking for a Christmas or holiday gift that keeps on giving?
Main Street-based This Monkey’s Gone to Heaven is offering taxidermy classes for beginners and the finished product will stay with you forever — or until a significant other gives you that old, “It’s me or that rat dressed up like a ballerina” lecture.
The one-day workshop introduces students to the basic techniques used in small mammal taxidermy — and while the class was designed for absolute beginners, more experienced students will also be interested.
The workshop is taught by artist Jonna Lepeska, a graduate in theatre production from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland, who specialized in scenic art.
Lepeska spends her free time collecting small items from nature and making micro-world installations using insects and small mammals she stuffs herself. Lepeska’s taxidermy workshops use ethically-sourced mice and each participant will receive one to work on and complete.
The class includes the lesson, specimen and all supplies. Students will be able to pose the arms and legs of their mouse to their liking and are encouraged to bring miniature props to decorate — a select amount of props will also be available for purchase at This Monkey’s Gone to Heaven.
Weirdos Holiday Market
Whether or not there will be any small stuffed mammals for sale at the inaugural Weirdos Holiday Market at Betamax Art Studios Dec. 16 and 17 has yet to be determined, but it is where you’ll find unusual hand-made piñatas from Meaghan Kennedy of Your Piñata, photography, sculpture, jewellery and prints that ponder the cycles of life, death and rebirth from by Amanda Bullick of Brutally Beautiful, and bleak, cynical and funny prints and T-shirts from Jaik Puppyteeth.
Offerings from This Monkey’s Gone to Heaven include mounted insects, out-of-the-ordinary holiday greeting cards, smudge sticks, edgy hand-crafted accessories with a Goth twist, usable but unusual pottery pieces that have been fused into the shape of human mouths, nipples, feet and hands, and educational and strange jewellery with mushrooms as the main focus from Mush Appreciated.
Shoppers at the market can also enjoy a tarot card reading by Erin Karl, tasty tamales topped with fermented vegetables from pop-up restaurant HandTaste Ferments, and take off the chill with hot chocolate or a drink from the bar.
The market takes place at Betamax Art Studios, 2244 East Hastings St., Dec. 16 and 17 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $2.
@sthomas10
