Today we’d like to introduce you to Wayne Halliburton
Hi Wayne, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I took up taxidermy right after I graduated college. I had come home from Vermont and gotten a desk job doing data entry, but it simply wasn’t fulfilling for me. To be honest, I didn’t want to “use my degree” in the way I think was expected of me. Taxidermy started as a hobby, an extension of my fascination with the natural world. A few months into my hobby, my uncle let me know a friend of a friend was a taxidermist, and might be interested in having an apprentice. One message later, and that was that! I’ve been learning from my mentor for the past few years, and have since started selling my own art, through commissions, markets, and the like.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have to admit, I’ve been lucky in quite a lot of ways. By circumstance, I found my mentor, and we clicked instantly. Without this, I don’t think I’d be a fraction as far into my journey as I am. I did experience some road bumps, but I think these are common to most people venturing away from the typical work-path. The first is money. I still work a separate part time job, and at the beginning I only had a day or two a week to practice taxidermy on top of my full time job. The second is marketing myself! I love creating, but I’m not as practiced at putting myself out there.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a taxidermist and an artist! I produce my work under the name “Dead Frog Dreams”, but I actually typically work with small mammals. When I taxidermy, I make my own forms which allows me to really personalize each piece. I also make jewelry, bone art, and paintings. One of my biggest goals when making art is to create pieces that evoke whimsy, joy, and curiosity. While I have made traditional taxidermy works, I don’t usually work with game animals. I like to explore the medium of taxidermy, and hope my work makes people think about the art form in a new way!
Any big plans?
Most years I go to a taxidermy competition called Wunderkammer, which takes place in NYC. I’ve already started brainstorming for next years project! But in general, I’m hoping to just keep growing and connecting with my community of artists here in town.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.deadfrogdreams.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deadfrogdreams/
