Scenic artist and taxidermist Jo Lepeska shares the ins and outs of taxidermy, the twisting path that led her there, where the animals come from, and more. Read on to find out!
Where are you from originally? If not from Vancouver, how did it become your home?
I was born in Helsinki, Finland. I ran away with an actual sideshow freak show circus group at the age of 17 and traveled around the world. I ended up living in Scotland for 15 years, then went back to Finland and met my husband. We moved to Vancouver with him in 2016 as he got offered a job transfer to here.
What is one thing that you love about Vancouver?
Vancouver is like a small big city. The downtown and surrounding areas are walk and bike friendly, I love that as I don’t drive.
I love the ethnic diversity, food and the nature of course! We get mountains and beaches at the same time. Who doesn’t love that?
Tell us your story. How was Pretty Dead Taxidermy born?
I have always been interested in animals, insects and nature. I am majorly allergic to most animals and insects. I get anaphylactic shock from a wasp sting and allergic asthma reaction from spending too much time with a cat. So working with animals wasn’t an option. I trained to be a Bachelor of Arts in theatre production, as theatre and performing arts has always been a passion of mine. I specialize in scenic art, painting and carving wild sets for film, TV, opera and theatre.
In 2011 I was working with the Finnish national opera and Ballet in HelsinkI Finland. They have shorter work week than im used to (37,5h/week instead the norm 50h/week in film) I had a lot of time in my hand. My mum suggested me to get a hobby, so I signed up for a beginners taxidermy class; it was a real light bolt moment, like had finally found my other true calling.
Taxidermy combines all my skill sets as an artist and passion for animals all in one. I’m passionate about nature, animals and sharing the skill set I have.
Your taxidermy art has a dark, fun yet tasteful vibe to it! Your pieces are so interesting. Where do you get your inspiration?
As I worked in Theatre, sideshow freak show and film industry for 15+ years, my work has taken me around the world. I have seen so much behind the scenes, on and off stage that the stories and experiences will last for a life time.
I listen to about 3-5 fiction, fable and nature books per month. I binge on podcasts, watch shows and follow artists who produce curious and unusual content to their social media and Youtube channels. I take long walks in nature and emerge myself with mind liked people.
I approach my pieces with the question: what would the animals do if they could live like us? The style of taxidermy I do is called Anthropomorphic. (animals placed in human context) This way the possibilities are limitless.
I get to design miniature sets for my animals. I truly hope they bring smiles and laughter to people.
I’m sure people ask this all the time: how do you obtain your animals? What is the process?
I mainly use animals from the food waste production. This means my baby chickens are all male who don’t live more than a day in chicken meat production. Rabbits, rats and mice come from a breeder who breeds them for scientific research purposes and for reptile and human food.
Some small mammal skins I get donated from trappers who trap them for meat. They don’t consume any meat from the mass production or supermarket, and only kill what is needed to feed themselves and their family.
I also recycle vintage fashion furs and turn them into soft or head mounts.
I get pet birds, rats and other pet animals donated to me.
Insects and butterflies I work with come from farms down in South America, where they are bread for scientific research and educational purposes. This gives the land owners an alternative source of income. The other source could be them selling land for palm oil production etc..
I’m working towards to opening a service for companion animals (pet preservation). I hope to have this open for business early next year.
My assistant and I use the whole animal. She has a bug colony that cleans and bleaches the bones and skulls, these can be re-articulated or turned into other arts such as jewellery. I turn some organs such as brains and stillborns into wet specimens.
What is your personal favourite piece?
My little baby opossum.
I didn’t realize how how often taxidermy is used in film and TV! Tell us about that. What are some of the pieces you’ve done?
There is a growing trend in more macabre and dark TV; The industry need a lot of curio pieces for set decoration and animal copies for the real deal. This is where a taxidermist comes useful, for example if the animal is being sacrificed or the actor does not want to handle the real animal. I make copies of the actual animal.
I also frame butterfly and insects for the set decoration department.
You can see my work in Snowpiercer, The Charmed, and Haunting of Bly manor. I also just finished a bunch of pieces (rabbits, squirrels, rats, fox and a racoon) for Stephen King’s new show Chapelwaite.
What’s one of the most interesting projects you’ve worked on so far in your career?
Last year I got to restore a 70 year-old full-body leopard. It sat in my living room for three months!
Covid has affected us all in different ways. If you’re comfortable, can you share with us how this time has affected you and your business? And do you have a message to share with the community?
It finally forced me to open up my own Etsy shop. I have been putting it off for ages, and it’s been doing really well. It also gave me a chance to reach a new audience outside Canada. I’m also finally working on my own website. I hate computer stuff and am really, really bad at it. My laptop is 10years old!!
Also I did couple of online taxidermy classes with the Bad Academy which was super fun! We will have a class coming up for the Autumn.
Please support local small businesses as they really need your business. Also if you are looking for something specific ask.
What advice do you have for someone wanting to start their own business? What is something you wish someone had told you?
Trust your instinct it’s normally right. Believe in what you do and don’t be afraid to ask help when needed. Also a lot of artists struggle to turn their art into business, I have found it extremely helpful to talk to others and change ideas. Sharing ideas and skills is vitally important.
What’s coming up for you?
My Etsy shop is now updated with a lot of Halloween pieces.
I’ve re-started my classes at amazing new curio/witchy shop called Raven’s Veil on Commercial Drive. I have rat, baby chicken, butterfly and rabbit classes lined up for this autumn.
From October you can also find my pieces in Stepback at Kitsilano, in a new Curio shop by element Botanicals at Salmon Arms and of course in Raven’s Veil.
I make pieces to suit each of their style so they will all be different and one off.
I’m taking part in the Eastside Culture Crawl from November 19th to 22nd, my studio is in Raven’s Veil on 831 Commercial Drive.
Jo Lepeska shares some Fun Facts!
- The first taxidermy mounts were stuffed with rags and sawdust which made it increasingly difficult to get the anatomy correct, leaving the mount often disfigured. Today, taxidermist are able to purchase a mannequin which they can then sculpt to achieve the look and position they want, then stretch the skin over it.
- Specimen v. Trophy: You may hear both of these words used often in the taxidermy world. But did you know that they refer to two different things? A specimen refers to an exact replica of the animal in the wild; a trophy refers to a head or shoulder mount of the animal, which is mounted on the wall.
- The Victorians took taxidermy from the dissecting room to the living room. A macabre lot, they moved away from depicting dead animals in their natural habitats and began to add a touch of whimsy that was sometimes sweet and sometimes just creepy.
- Napoleon had two hooves from his horse Marengo made into desk ornaments. One became an inkwell and the other a snuff box. For good measure, the stallion’s skeleton was put on display. It can still be seen in the army museum in Chelsea
- When the known world became boring and zoologists felt that they had seen and cataloged everything, they took to making things up. At the beginning of the 18th century, Albertus Seba was one such zoologist who had the best Wunderkammer the world had ever seen. A Wunderkammer (aka “cabinet of curiosities“) comprised specimens notably of natural history but often included art, antiquities, relics, and curios of all descriptions.
WBD’s Lightning Round!
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live and why?
I am happy where i am right now. I feel like I will return to Europe one day. Perhaps Holland. Who doesn’t want to live below sea level? Also I think I will retire back to Morocco, I lived there for three years and I miss it every day.
If I gave you $20 to spend on anything right now, what would it be?
A coffee and a french pastry + doggy treats for my puppy!
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise people.
I’m a trained professional old school butler.
In an alternate universe, what would you be doing for a living?
A roller coaster designer.
One guilty pleasure you aren’t willing to give up?
Food, food, food. I love food. if I could I would eat all day long!
For more info:
Website: https://jonnalepeska.wixsite.com/jolepeska
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JoLepeskaTaxidermy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jolepeska
Instagram: @jolepeska