I’ve added a second skull to the Still Life “Meet the Skulls” gallery! One of the skulls you may get to see at a Still Death session is this wild turkey (Melagris gallopavo). It’s about the only native wild bird in the United States whose bones, feather and other remains may be possessed without any permits. Most native species, including songbirds, raptors, corvids and others, are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and other feathers that may be possessed are either from domestic birds like chickens or non-natives like pigeons and ring-necked pheasants. So while you might see a few replica bird skulls at Still Death, this is one of the few real birds in the lineup!

Still Death is a monthly education and drawing session held at the Fernie Brae in Portland, OR. Each session goes from 6:30pm - 8:00pm and features a variety of animal skulls from my personal collection. We’ll talk about a bit of comparative anatomy, and then get down to the fun of drawing, painting and otherwise using the skulls as art references. Please bring your art supplies (no photography, please) and the $10/person fee. Still Death is intended for artists 18 and older. For more information please head to the official Still Death website, http://www.stilldeath.com.