Posted on August 26, 2024 by Mary Radermaker
Based in Chute-Saint-Philippe with her partner and two children, Véronique Durand works in a profession that is as unique as it is intriguing: that of a taxidermist.
Photo Médialo – Mary Radermaker
Alongside a full-time job, the woman better known as L’Empailleuse has been doing taxidermy for six years now. It all started when her partner taught her the basics of tanning: “I was trapping hares for meat, and I thought it was a shame to discard the skins and waste them. I started keeping everything, boiling the skulls… Of course, initially, it felt strange. It took me a lot of time to skin them.”
However, it was love at first sight: “I fell in love. I thought, ‘It’s amazing how you can transform an animal, use every part, and bring it back to life.’ I knew right away that this was what I wanted to do in life, so I pursued it.”
“I’ve always been really fascinated by biology. If I had to start my life over, I’d become a coroner or a medical examiner.” — Véronique Durand
“The challenge is to give them back as much life as possible. It really starts with the eyes” Photo Médialo – Mary Radermaker
Question of Expertise
Faced with a scarcity of local resources, Véronique Durand initially turned to the internet. “My first skins looked like cardboard,” she recalls humorously. “I found someone in Mont-Tremblant, Mathieu Paquette of Fourrure Jackalope. I worked with him for four years and learned a lot.” Taxidermy and tanning are professions where secrets and skills are primarily passed down from master to apprentice; Mathieu Paquette himself learned from Michel Séguin, the former owner of Fourrure Jackalope.
Photo Médialo – Mary Radermaker
A Complex Process
Véronique Durand’s workshop, located in a fishing cabin on her property, is divided into several stations: “I have my barrel for cleaning the skins with sawdust, my fleshing machine, my baths, my little critters, multiple large freezers, and storage. It’s a mess!” she describes with a laugh.
For the tanning process, she begins by registering the animal with the relevant authorities. “Then I skin it, remove the bones, and eliminate as much of the flesh and cartilage as possible, placing the bones in an insect bath.” Next, it is immersed in a highly acidic pickling solution to kill all bacteria before an alum solution is applied, which softens the hide and preserves it over time.
Then comes the greasing: “I use tanning oil, but there’s also a traditional method that involves using the animal’s brain.” Finally: “We let it dry and pass the skin through barrels with weights to work it and break the fibers. It’s really not easy!”
In terms of taxidermy, Véronique Durand starts by measuring each part of the animal to ensure an accurate representation. She then uses foam forms or constructs her own structures: “You can use straw, fiberglass, or any lightweight, durable material. For the eyes, I use glass eyes. For the teeth, I usually work with dentures. This saves a lot of time, allows me to reuse the skull for another project, and delivers a cleaner result.”
“In Quebec, most taxidermists will use a boiling technique to clean skulls. I decided to use small dermestids.” Photo courtesy
Modern Techniques
Old, often rudimentary methods have been replaced by more advanced techniques. “In the past, we kept the real skull, used straw for filling, added two glass beads for the eyes, and that was it. That’s why sometimes, it looks a bit bizarre!” Véronique Durand chuckles. Today, foam mannequins that precisely reproduce muscles are available, allowing for more realistic and aesthetically pleasing results. “It can be super artistic. It doesn’t have to simply be a head on a plate or appear outdated. There are so many possibilities! It can be really magnificent,” she expresses.
“When you tan the skin, it loses all its color, so you have to repaint the fish from A to Z with an airbrush; every tiny dot, every scale. It’s a meticulous task.” Photo courtesy
As of now, new clients should expect a waiting period of over a year. “It’s not really the process that’s lengthy; it’s that I don’t have the time. If I did this full-time, it would be faster.” In addition to her work with L’Empailleuse, Véronique Durand also manages a 40-hour-per-week job and two young children. “I feel I don’t have the strength to do only that, even though I wish to make a living from it. It’s too uncertain.”
For more information or to view Véronique Durand’s creations, visit the Facebook page L’Empailleuse Taxidermie.
Post Views:
11
Posted on August 26, 2024 by Mary Radermaker
Photo Médialo – Mary Radermaker
Alongside a full-time job, the woman better known as L’Empailleuse has been doing taxidermy for 6 years now. It all started when her partner taught her the basics of tanning: “I was trapping hares for meat, and I thought it was a shame to throw away the skins and waste them. I started keeping everything, boiling the skulls… Of course, at first, it felt weird. It took me a lot of time to skin them.”
Still, it was love at first sight: “I fell in love. I thought, ‘It’s crazy how you can transform an animal, use every part and bring it back to life.’ I knew right away that this is what I wanted to do in life, so I went for it.”
“I’ve always been really fascinated by biology. If I had to start my life over, I’d become a coroner or a medical examiner.” — Véronique Durand
“The challenge is to give them back as much life as possible. It really starts with the eyes.” Photo Médialo – Mary Radermaker
Mastering the Art of Taxidermy
Question of Know-How
Faced with a lack of local resources, Véronique Durand first turned to the internet. “My first skins looked like cardboard,” she recalls with humor. “I ended up discovering someone in Mont-Tremblant, Mathieu Paquette of Fourrure Jackalope. I went to work with him for 4 years and I learned a lot.” Taxidermy and tanning are among those professions whose secrets and know-how are mainly passed down from master to student; Mathieu Paquette himself learned from Michel Séguin, former owner of Fourrure Jackalope.
Photo Médialo – Mary Radermaker
A Complex Process
Véronique Durand’s workshop, set up in a fishing cabin on her land, is divided into multiple stations: “I have my barrel to clean the skins with sawdust, my fleshing machine, my baths, my little critters, several large freezers and storage. It’s a mess!” she explains with a laugh.
The Tanning Process
For the tanning process, she begins by registering the animal with the relevant authorities. “Then I will skin it, remove the bones and remove as much of the flesh and cartilage as possible and I put the bones in the insects.” Then, it is dipped in a highly acidic pickling solution to kill all bacteria before using an alum solution, which allows the hide to soften and stand the test of time.
Greasing and Final Steps
Then comes the greasing: “I use tanning oil, but there is also a traditional method which consists of using the animal’s brain.” For the final step: “We let it dry and we pass the skin through barrels with weights to work it and break the fibers. It’s really not easy!”
Techniques and Materials Used in Taxidermy
Measurements and Structuring
When it comes to taxidermy, Véronique Durand starts by measuring each part of the animal to ensure a faithful rendering. She then uses foam shapes or builds her own structures: “You can use straw, fiberglass, or any material that will last and is fairly light. For the eyes, they are glass eyes. For the teeth, most of the time, I work with dentures. It saves a lot of time, allows you to reuse the skull for another project and it gives a cleaner result.”
“In Quebec, most taxidermists will use a boil technique to clean skulls. I decided to go with small dermestids.” Photo courtesy
Modern Techniques
The old, often rudimentary methods have given way to more sophisticated techniques. “In the past, we kept the real skull, used straw for the filling, put two glass beads for the eyes and that was it. That’s why sometimes, it looks like the devil!” says Véronique Durand with a laugh. Now, it is possible to get foam mannequins where the muscles are reproduced with precision, which allows for a more realistic and frankly more aesthetic rendering. “It can be super artistic. It doesn’t have to be just a head on a plate or look like it’s from another era. There are so many possibilities! It can be really splendid,” she says.
“When you tan the skin, it loses all its color, so you have to repaint the fish from A to Z with an airbrush; every little dot, every scale. It’s a monk’s work.” Photo courtesy
Challenges of Running a Taxidermy Business
Current Demand and Supply
At the time of writing, new clients should expect a waiting period of over a year. “It’s not so much the process that’s long, it’s that I don’t have the time. If I did this full-time, it would be quick.” In addition to her project with L’Empailleuse, remember that Véronique Durand juggles a 40-hour-per-week job and 2 young children.
Financial Considerations
“I don’t feel strong enough to do just that, even though I’d like to make a living from it. It’s too uncertain.”
Showcasing Taxidermy Creations
For more information or to see Véronique Durand’s creations, visit the Facebook page L’Empailleuse Taxidermie.
Post Views:
11
