FAQ
Creations
Do you post your creations?
Creations made with bone, antler, and even my complex sculptures post easily.
However many of the glass butterfly domes and vintage frames are not suitable for posting due their fragile contents and glass. You can only obtain these via local delivery (Melbourne & Gippsland) or at various markets, Expos or shops that I attend.
Do you do commissions and custom orders?
For bugs - occasionally. It is getting hard to find vintage frames, so if you have one then yes! I can also do a dome in specific colorways however the contents will vary at my discretion.
Sculptures - only 4 per year. These take a lot of time so I limit commissions depending on what else is scheduled.
Are the insects real? Do you catch them? Are they endangered?
The majority of insects are real ie. butterflies, beetles, spiders, scorpions and so on. They are all sourced via registered breeding farms and nothing is wild caught. Breeders have CITES certification which controls endanger activities and includes release programs into local populations.
Are the skulls and bones real? Do you kill animals? Are they native?
Nothing is Australian native other than the odd spider or ant. It is illegal to collect, craft, buy or sell any native animals without appropriate licenses .. this goes for you too! I only use farmed, pest or breeder supplies. Naturally shed items such as snake skins, shells and feathers can be used.
The skulls and bones I use are: 1) farmed animals, some locally such as sheep and goats; 2) pest species such as deer, rabbit, fox; 3) farmed, pest or culled from overseas such as fox, mink and roe deer, and 4) bird skeletons and wings come from local pet bird breeders.
Your care instructions
General care
- Do not store in direct sunlight, like any artwork, it will degrade and fade your creation over time.
- Keep away from hot or humid conditions ie. bathrooms and near heaters.
- Dust glass with a clean micro-fibre cloth. Gently blow dust off the 3d creations.
- Do not water, mist or trim any of the preserved plants.
Ants or bugs have moved into my creation!
All insect and bone creations are organic matter, in other words they are part of natures lifecycle, they can stay preserved for a long time in the right conditions however they can also smell good to something else along the food chain. You may see something like: ants, cockroaches, silverfish, moths, spider webs, or tiny grit piles which are made by book lice. Treat as follows:
- Wrap in plastic and place in the freezer for 72 hours.
- Lightly spray the back of the frame or base of dome with a surface insect spray. Also spray the immediate wall area or shelf.
- For added protection, you can hang a small paper envelope of naphthalene flakes to the back of frames or under domes.
- To clean away broken particles or book lice grit, see the instructions below.
A part has broken off my creation 😟
Don't worry, everything is fixable with a dot of glue, even butterflies! Clearing can be done with a small artist paintbrush and some tweezers.
Let me know hat has happened and we can work through it. Either it's something I can advise you to do, or the piece can be fixed by me. Both the frames and domes can be opened for repairs but call me first.