new project completed
A white tail deer spine decorated with artificial flowers, authentic moss, and stone.
Creating art with natural elements, especially bones, has become a true passion of mine. There's something incredibly raw and beautiful about taking something found in nature, like a white tail deer spine, and transforming it into a piece that celebrates its organic form while adding a touch of personal artistry. When I started on my latest project, featuring a white tail deer spine on a round wooden tray, I knew I wanted to create something that felt both earthy and enchanting. My journey into this kind of decor often begins with ethically sourcing the bones. I never harm animals; instead, I find them naturally in the wilderness, already cleaned by nature's processes. Once I bring them home, the first crucial step is proper cleaning and sanitizing. Even if they appear clean, I often give them a thorough soak in an enzymatic cleaner, followed by a hydrogen peroxide bath to ensure they are completely sterile and odor-free. This preparation is key to creating a lasting and hygienic display piece. For this particular project, the idea was to highlight the delicate structure of the deer spine itself. I centered it carefully on the round wooden tray, which instantly gave the piece a grounded, natural foundation. Then came the fun part: adding the complementary elements. I gathered various types of authentic moss – some lush and green, others drier and more textural – to create a soft, forest-like bed around the spine. Small, smooth stones were strategically placed, adding a touch of ruggedness and anchoring the composition visually. These elements really make the piece feel like a miniature landscape. To introduce a splash of color and whimsy, I chose artificial flowers. While dried flowers are also beautiful, artificial ones offer durability and vibrant hues that won't fade over time. I specifically picked out a beautiful purple bloom and some rich green foliage, which provided a lovely contrast to the bone's natural ivory tones and the earthy moss. Arranging them artfully, I made sure they adorned the spine without overwhelming it, creating a harmonious balance between the organic and the decorative. Beyond just tabletop displays, deer spines can inspire so many other creative projects. You could create stunning wall hangings by wiring them onto driftwood or incorporating them into macrame designs. Some artists even paint or gild the bones for a more dramatic, gothic, or even celestial aesthetic, pairing them with crystals or metallic accents. The key is to let the unique shape of each deer spine guide your creative vision. Every bone tells a story, and through these projects, we get to continue that narrative, bringing a piece of the wild, respectfully, into our homes.
