PORCELAIN SKULLS | beetleandflor

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PORCELAIN SKULLS

After my contract with the Exhibition department at AMNH ended, I transferred to Vertebrate paleontology, where I was trained as a scientific illustrator and photographer, under the in-house (and multi-talented) artist, Frank Ippolito.

We worked primarily with Eugene Gaffney who studied the evolution of side-necked turtles, but who also wrote the beloved Golden Guide ‘Dinosaur’ booklet that so many of us grew up with in the early 90’s. I was lucky enough to have several illustrations published during this time, and it was here I began recreating skulls in three-dimension, using porcelain.

The process of making the skulls is meticulous and time consuming: Each skull consists of several molds, and can in total add up to 20+ mold-pieces. Once cast and dry, the pieces are fired to over 2200 degrees before 14k gold luster is applied and then fired once again.

Beaver, Castor canadensis

5 ”x 4” x 3”

Domestic goat, Capra aegagrus hircus

11” x 6” x 4”

English Bulldog, Canis lupus familiaris

5” x 4” x 3”

Unidentified bird

4” x 1.5” x 1"

Coyote, Canis latrans

7” x 3” x 3”

Springbok skull, Antidorcas marsupialis

14” x 6” x 8”

Snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina

3" x 4” x 2”

Skunk, Mephitis mephitis

2.5” x 1.5” x 1”

White tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus

10” x 12” x 8”

Domestic sheep (lamp), Ovis aries

8”x 6”x 4”

Muskrat jaw pendant with oxidized silver chain

Patas monkey, Erythrocebus patas

5” x 3” x 3.5”

Wild boar, Sus scrofa

9” x 5” x 6”

Bobcat, Lynx rufus

4.5” x 3.5” x 3”

Footed bud vase set

Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus

2.5” x 1.5” x 1.5”

Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus

3” x 2” x 1.5”

Skunk jaw pendant with oxidized silver chain

Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos

2” x 1.5” x 1”

Opossum, Didelphimorphia

3” x 1.75” x 1.75”

White tailed deer antler

12" long

Black bear, Ursus americanus

Blue jay pendant, oxidized silver chain

Domestic cat, Felis catus

3.5” x 2” x 2.25”

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