separate.”
What response have you had from edible taxidermy?
“On the whole, the response has been extremely positive, which is fantastic. I have had many similar comments thanking me for finally doing an edible taxidermy workshop. It seems people are keen to learn that I wholly recycle the specimens, and it has inspired others to think about their usage.”
Do you think more taxidermists will be encouraged to start saving the meat?
“I hope more taxidermists will adopt this lifestyle. For me it contradicts the whole notion of taxidermy, to throw away perfectly good, and often very sought after meats.”
What animal’s meat have you eaten? Are there any you wouldn’t eat?
“I have eaten all of the game I work on, pheasant, partridge, grouse, venison, waterfowl, peafowl, hare, rabbit, and squirrel. I would not eat a fox (although it isn't unheard of), or a badger, purely because they carry a lot of disease and the coarseness of their fur means they trap a lot more dirt and thus more contaminate. Most of the animals I eat come from organic farms or wild areas of the countryside in the UK.”
What do people get to do in your taxidermy classes?
“People who attend my classes do everything from the skinning to the mounting. They will leave with their mounted specimen. Whether they are a beginner, amateur or professional, I teach a very traditional method of taxidermy that is labour intensive and time consuming, but doesn't cut any corners.”
Have you ever had any unusual requests?
“I refuse any requests I don't feel comfortable doing; I want to do the animal justice, not become a puppeteer.”
Taxidermy has earned itself a bad reputation, Elle’s work celebrates the revival of the craft through emphasis on the aesthetic. She doesn’t view death as disgusting or offensive but that all creatures are beautiful in death as well as life. Her edible taxidermy can be seen as ethical, economical and a way of promoting recycling.
