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Meet Brittni Lee Bones of Twisted Hollow Taxidermy & Oddities in Mansfield – Voyage Dallas
Aug
Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittni Lee Bones.
Brittni, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I get asked how I got into this a lot, and I never know exactly what to say. I have always been interested in the weird and wonderful things the world has to offer. I grew up antiquing and have been a collector since I can remember. I was introduced to the hunting industry in 2010, where I spent some time cleaning at a local processing plant. I even made my first specimen out of a whitetail deer brain I removed and preserved in a jar. From there, I started jarring everything I could. By making and selling these oddities, I was able to branch out from wet specimens to making jewelry, framed specimens and vintage taxidermy. It started as a hobby. I would trade my friends or sell my pieces just to get materials to make more. I had displays in a few tattoo shops around me and began vending Dallas Tattoo Expo. I wanted to expand and learn how to properly restore the mounts I would get in liquidation lots.
After going to a few taxidermy shops asking questions, I was offered a lot of advice and even a few apprenticeships to learn the art of taxidermy. I took that leap in 2014 and haven’t turned back. It has been a long hard road, but one worth riding on. I have made friends that have turned into a family in this industry, not to mention by attending numerous shows and having trusting customers, I have been able to become even more exposed to a world that already interested me. I feel extremely fortunate to have worked with an array of passionate, talented artists who have helped me perfect my techniques over the last six years. Today, I own and operate my own taxidermy shop while preparing for show season. Between vending tattoo conventions and attending taxidermist association competitions and conventions, I am very excited for what the future holds for me and Twisted Hollow.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
If I’m honest, it was hard to get people to take me seriously in the beginning. I had several people discount my ability based on the fact that I am a tiny, heavily tattooed lady. Fortunately for me, my work speaks for itself. Making that name for myself has been hard work through dedication. I hate saying blood, sweat and tears, but literally that in addition to a portion of my sanity has gone into this. I have been met with several challenges along the way, and fully expect to face them in my future. Every new mount faces its own challenges and it can be frustrating at times but when I get to hand my customer their mount and see them light up with the memory they’ve trusted me to preserve, it makes all of that worth it. Through financial and personal hardship, I am proud to say I never gave up and continue to work hard to run my business and continue to perfect my skills with every mount.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
In the years I’ve been open, the business has transformed a lot. The past few years have been more dedicated to the taxidermy side of my business and investing in myself by working with and around other artists. I like to think I specialize in lifesize predator mounts. Making the animal fluid in their action stances are also my favorite aesthetically, primarily bobcats and coyotes. They’re also the more challenging of the animals I do. That being said, sometimes I just want to go to the shop and mount a deer. Something about it takes me back to my roots and feels like home. I have always been eager to learn and grow as a wildlife artist and enthusiast. I take a lot of pride in my work, and giving that animal a second life to be appreciated is what I strive for. I am my own worst enemy and do my best to make each mount better than the last.
I have been told my passion, attention to detail, and the fact that I “actually care” about the piece are key reasons I have as many repeat customers as I do. I am proud to have been able to expand my oddities business further in a way that incorporates and compliments my goals and dreams as a taxidermist.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I owe a lot of credit for my success to my clients, friends, and peers in the industry. I have been very fortunate to have the most understanding and helpful friends, family and clients I have since I have dedicated my life to being a taxidermist after mounting my first deer. I also owe a lot of my success to my clients, that trust me to apply the skills and knowledge I have worked hard to gain and maintain. Also during my time in this industry, I have been honored to work next to taxidermists that have been in the game for 30 plus years. The time I have spent around these artists I’ve worked next to are times I value most.
A couple of years into my career, I had a customer turn friend who helped me in more ways than I can begin to thank him for, from giving me late-night business advice to a pep talk and even providing me with mounts to work on. He helped me grow my business and had faith in me that I needed in a time I needed it. Honestly, if it weren’t for him, his guidance and support, I wouldn’t be this far, nor would I be as confident in my abilities. I also worked with a PTSD recovery group for a few seasons and helping them and their cause helped me work through some of my own demons. I will forever be grateful for those guys and the role they’ve played. I’m currently running Twisted Hollow from a shop on a good friend’s property, who offer their love and support to me as they would their own blood. Since the beginning, I have been shown an outpour of support from people of all backgrounds from all over the world, which still blows my mind! I am very thankful for the people that have followed me just to watch my work and my story progress. I have been blessed by so many people through this. Between helping me with my son, helping me in the shop, and cheering me on, it truly does take a village.
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Adam Pfeil
December 21, 2020 at 3:12 pm
She does spectacular work. I dropped off my 3rd deer in November. Excellent mounts, great attention to detail, and very good prices.
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