A Murder Of Ravens

Say Good Afternoon to Kelly McCallum

I give you a fox with a mustache, two hedgehogs embroidering a doyley, A flamingo with a diamond encrusted leg...and so on. Excited?

McCallum is a London based Canadian artist who was born 1979, She specialises in taxidermy, metal smith and jewellery making. Her inquisitive eye for the weird and wonderful started at a young age when on school trips she would go to Norman Elder's house and view his eclectic collection.

Norman Sam Elder (1939-2003) was one of Toronto's eccentrics, as an explorer, exotic animal owner, writer and artist. Elder, was the owner of the Norman Elder Museum at 140 Bedford road in the Annex, an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Beginning her art studies with Bachelor of Fine Arts at Rhode Island School Of Design she moved on to study animal science, Pre veterinarian at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for one year. Immediately after, Kelly went back to Rhode Island for additional practice in Metal smith. From 2004-2006 Kelly studied at the Royal Collage Of Art in London and earned herself a master of arts degree.


Pink Flamingo 2011


Winter Coat 2011

Till Death Do Us Part

Hog

An interest in scale and attention to detail is apparent in both her wearable objects and her sculptural pieces. Her work is influenced by both story-telling and natural history, employing Victorian taxidermy as well as insects, precious metals and other treasures from her personal collection of curiosities.
http://www.kellymccallum.com/bio/

On going Projects...

Perfect title I would say for such mesmerising work. McCallum and Marta Mattsson

'Sometimes I see beauty in things that other people find strange or are even repulsed by. I become fascinated when there is something you do not want to see and the feeling you get when you do not want to look at something, yet you still do.'

http://www.martamattsson.com/

Beetle juice’ Brooches

McCallum and Mattsson have a constant evolving project, where anything goes. They both had this wonderfully charming idea to each pick a piece of taxidermy for each other, not knowing what they have bought each other before the unveiling they would then make it their own by incorporating any materials they wish just as long as the original piece of taxidermy is all or partly being used. Over 8 weeks they would create their master pieces...