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Vulture Culture 101: A Book For People Who Like Dead Things
What compels so many other people to fill their homes with the preserved remains of animals, and how can you join in the fun? Vulture Culture 101: A Book For People Who Like Dead Things explores the modern revival in acquiring, preserving and creating art with these natural specimens.Written by author and artist Lupa, this is the first full-length guide to Vulture Culture, a subculture that in recent years has grown up around the appreciation of hides, bones and other animal specimens. More than just a book on taxidermy, it explores such diverse topics as the roots of Vulture Culture, where to get specimens, what’s legal and what isn’t, how to identify what you’ve got, and so much more! And for those willing to roll their sleeves up and get their hands dirty, there’ll be how-tos on tanning, bone cleaning and other preparation work. Plus it's a great book to give to family and friends who are curious about your interests.Whether you've been a part of Vulture Culture since its inception or are just finding out about this fandom of fur, feather and bone, Vulture Culture 101 is sure to have something for every scavenger!
198 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2019
6 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Lupa
51 books98 followers"I am an author, artist, and wannabe polymath living in Portland, OR. I've been a pagan of various sorts since the mid-1990s. My primary focus has always been on totemism and animal magics, though in recent years I've been expanding into the general totemic ecosystem, working with plant, fungus, mineral and other totems. I've written several books based on my practices, and you can read my blog at http://www.thegreenwolf.com/blog as well.
Also since the mid-1990s, I've created ritual tools, sacred costumery, and other meaningful art out of hides, bones, beads, and other organics. It's been a strong part of my spirituality, and I even wrote a book about it, Skin Spirits: The Spiritual and Magical Use of Animal Parts. You can see what's currently available for purchase on my Etsy shop: http;//thegreenwolf.etsy.com
I am very involved in environmental and sustainable efforts. I volunteer with local environmental groups with tree planting and litter cleanup efforts, and I even adopted a small stretch of the Columbia River to clean litter, monitor flora and fauna, and do water testing. At home I do my best to follow Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (in that order), and many of my art supplies are secondhand or otherwise reclaimed, and everything gets used one way or another.
When I'm not creatively working or volunteering, I love to hike, go out dancing, read voraciously when I have the time, and hit the gym a few times a week.
Also since the mid-1990s, I've created ritual tools, sacred costumery, and other meaningful art out of hides, bones, beads, and other organics. It's been a strong part of my spirituality, and I even wrote a book about it, Skin Spirits: The Spiritual and Magical Use of Animal Parts. You can see what's currently available for purchase on my Etsy shop: http;//thegreenwolf.etsy.com
I am very involved in environmental and sustainable efforts. I volunteer with local environmental groups with tree planting and litter cleanup efforts, and I even adopted a small stretch of the Columbia River to clean litter, monitor flora and fauna, and do water testing. At home I do my best to follow Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (in that order), and many of my art supplies are secondhand or otherwise reclaimed, and everything gets used one way or another.
When I'm not creatively working or volunteering, I love to hike, go out dancing, read voraciously when I have the time, and hit the gym a few times a week.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 9, 2020
i love the book! its super helpful and ive been referencing it whenever im doing dead thing stuff lol, its probably one of the best purchases ive made <3
January 6, 2024
A very useful beginner guide!
April 30, 2024
This was my first ever read from Lupa, so it has a fond spot in my heart!
I found that for me, this book was a GREAT kickstart into researching Vulture Culture on a literary level, (as I already had knowledge from going into the community online and was already watching/looking up videos and blogs filled with notes and methods on how to work on different vulture culture/taxidermy projects, heheh) and I am hopeful to find more good 'entry-level' or 'intermediate-level' books to couple with this when people ask me for books on how to get into Taxidermy or Vulture Culture.
CONTENT WARNING:
This book does contain black and white pictures of dead animals at a few stages, animal remains, for example how to skin an animal and process it, as well as many pictures of animal skulls as to help show distinguishing features of them so you can identify an animal by its remains!
If you are triggered by this imagery, this book may not be for you!
The Chapter List of this Book:
I found that for me, this book was a GREAT kickstart into researching Vulture Culture on a literary level, (as I already had knowledge from going into the community online and was already watching/looking up videos and blogs filled with notes and methods on how to work on different vulture culture/taxidermy projects, heheh) and I am hopeful to find more good 'entry-level' or 'intermediate-level' books to couple with this when people ask me for books on how to get into Taxidermy or Vulture Culture.
CONTENT WARNING:
This book does contain black and white pictures of dead animals at a few stages, animal remains, for example how to skin an animal and process it, as well as many pictures of animal skulls as to help show distinguishing features of them so you can identify an animal by its remains!
If you are triggered by this imagery, this book may not be for you!
The Chapter List of this Book:
0. Introduction
1. Roots and Revival: Historical and Modern-day Vultures
2. The Successful Scavenger: Where Do I Get My Goods?
3. Identifying Hides, Bones and More
4. Here's Where It Gets Messy: Processing Raw Specimens
5. Put Your Best (Rabbit's) Foot Forward: Displaying and Caring For Your Collection
6. Vultures and Our Neighbors
7. Rewilding the Beast: Vulture Culture as a Return to Nature
Conclusion
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Appendix 1: Further Resources
Appendix 2: Recommended Nature-based Nonprofits
Appendix 3: About the Writers
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Glossary
Bibliography
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews