At its best, an animal trophy tells stories. There’s the tale of the animal itself. And then there’s the story of the hunt and its many experiences — the cool morning air, the rustling leaves, the anticipation and the adrenaline. Bringing these stories to life is the goal behind every original piece that we create here at Animal Artistry. And it’s been that way since we began in 1980.
As the world’s leading animal art studio, we approach every project with the same exacting standards — exceptional attention to detail and the utmost care and respect for the animal itself. Each piece is an original, individually designed and sculpted to enhance the animal’s best features while reflecting accurate anatomy and genuine wildlife behavior.
Your experience doesn’t end with the kill. At Animal Artistry, we create works of art that complete and extend the hunt, bringing cherished memories back to you each time you view your trophies. We honor the hunt, the hunter, and most importantly, the majestic creatures.
What is now the business, Animal Artistry, began first as a hobby while Mike Boyce was a pastor at an area church. He and a fellow hunting buddy would occasionally charge other hunters to mount their trophies and the proceeds would then go into a savings for his next trip. Hunting and taxidermy were the original training for the artist in him and the expression of his love for the natural world and wildlife. His many hunts around the world provided the experiences and first-hand observations of animals in their habitat, and those same adventures altered Mike’s approach to taxidermy and to its appreciation as an art form. An additional influence was his father, a painter, whose talent and appreciation for landscapes, form and focus, color and contrast, were imprinted on Mike from an early age.
After leaving the ministry in 1983, Mike and his wife, Kathleen, focused on the small studio in their garage. What they thought would be a quiet little shop was soon overflowing with trophies and customers, much to the chagrin of the neighbors, who would force them out and into a small, shabby commercial building. It was here they committed to establishing a taxidermy company that could produce pieces of art. Mike’s vison of wildlife was not a stuffed, stagnant trophy, but of a living, moving animal with all its inherent grace and dignity. The concept of animals in motion resonated with hunters and nonhunters alike, and a new appreciation for Mike’s artistic taxidermy took hold.
Within five years the building they rented was sold and they were forced to move the business again. This time they relocated to a portion of the commercial building they now own. Mike brought in taxidermists and finishers with experience and knowledge of various aspects of commercial taxidermy, but he never wavered from his original vision for creating works of wildlife art that uniquely expressed the story of each individual hunt and hunter. Simultaneously, Mike and Kathleen sought to create a financially successful business that would support them fully, and thus provide the opportunity to create unique and creative trophies, displays and trophy rooms – a professional company whose employees took pride in pleasing, even astounding their customers. The displays Mike designed each year for Safari Club International’s convention were a highlight for attendees.
While the business flourished, Mike also pursued his love of art and began sculpting and painting. The sculpting became the templates for many of the manikins currently used in taxidermy studios around the world. This new skill was also the beginning of a sister company, Artistry in Bronze, in which Mike expanded that creative energy into a series of both animal and human sculptures, many of which have ended up in trophy rooms, museums, golf courses and bronze gardens around the country. He has had both bronze and taxidermy displays of native Nevada state animals (Mule Deer and Desert Bighorn Sheep) created for Nevada Governors, and bronze maquettes designated as awards for various organizations. His reputation and notable success drew fledging taxidermists to the art form, so while running his world renown taxidermy studio, Mike also mentored many aspiring taxidermists and inspired them all.
When presented the opportunity to purchase the buildings they had been leasing for thirty years, Mike and Kathleen renewed their commitment to Animal Artistry, put “retirement” on the back burner, and invested in a permanent home for the business. Mike worked with a talented architect to redesign the properties into a one-of-a-kind facility uniquely suited for his vision. The bronzes, and later the paintings, he produced complimented the taxidermy business and are all now combined to make a very special and unique company.
Mike’s passing has brought a deep heartache to his family, friends and employees. For those who continue his legacy, there is a therapy— a healing, in continuing the business that now honors him with renewed dedication to his concepts and to his passion for the art of the animal.
While Animal Artistry made its name by creating animal art in motion, we’ve further differentiated ourselves with our accelerated turnaround time.* Our system is highly structured and efficient, ensuring the skilled artists in all departments have the time and space they need to produce quality pieces without unnecessary delays. Well established procedures include quality control – a careful check at every step by our Taxidermy supervisor to maintain excellence and provide opportunity for improvement.
Skins that are shipped or otherwise delivered are inspected immediately so that inventory is properly matched to required documentation. Any issues or concerns with documents or the skins themselves are brought to the client’s immediate attention. Once we’ve properly recorded the inventory, notes are sent to accounting and a deposit invoice is created and sent to the client.
Skins are sent to the tannery immediately after the receiving process. Our longstanding relationship with the best tanneries means priority service, and skins are returned to Animal Artistry within 30 days. During the tanning process, clients are contacted to discuss and finalize pose requests. We also use this time to assemble supplies, ensuring that we’re ready to begin creating your trophy once the skins return.
Each piece of art begins with properly preparing the skin — sewing up any holes, thinning nasal and eye membranes, adding ear liners, and completing other steps as needed. The mannikin is also carefully sculpted for gesture, detail, size, and accurate anatomy.
Once the skin and mannikin are ready, a skilled two-person team works in tandem to seamlessly join both elements. The skin is expertly sewn into place before being adjusted, pinned, and dried.
Airbrush artists in our finishing department add finishing touches for stunning realism. During this phase, our works of art are expertly airbrushed, groomed, and puttied.
Life-size and pedestal mounts are then sent to the habitat department. Our habitat artists create all of the trees, rocks, grass, and other elements for the setting of each piece. A final quality check is done and your piece photographed.
Once the trophy is complete, clients receive a photo and a final invoice. Once paid, the client is asked to contact our shipping department to arrange for pickup or discuss transport options.
Absolutely. From huge projects involving hundreds of life-sized animals for museum displays to a teenager’s first deer, we put the same amount of effort into every project. Our motto is there are no small projects — we understand that each animal means the world to its hunter.
Animal Artistry has been known for its designer pieces for large trophy rooms, but we serve all levels of taxidermy needs and budgets. Our shoulder mounts are competitively priced, and we offer half-lifesize mounts, pedestal mounts, rugging, European mounts, and a variety of novelty items to fit your space and budget. See our Price List, Gallery and Specialty Store or talk with our general manager, Stewart, for ideas.
Your trophy will go through three different departments, each led by a supervisor with a skilled team. The first step is the preparation of your tanned skin for mounting. The next department is taxidermy, where a master taxidermist and an assistant mounts the skin onto the form. After the skin is dried, it is sent to the finishing department (also know as the beauty department) for final touches — cleaning, grooming, airbrushing, and the artistry that truly bring your trophy to life. If your trophy is life-sized, it will go to a final department that crafts realistic habitats from the trees to the land.
While we do have a catalog available for inspiration and ideas, we are a custom studio capable of creating poses to our customers’ specifications. Customers are welcome to bring in photographs from out in the field or even drawings of their vision.
Pick-ups are available, although we often deliver. Animal Artistry has its own trucks that can deliver from coast to coast, right to your front door.
Under no circumstances should your trophies be displayed in sunlight, even indirectly. They will fade and eventually be destroyed. Ideally, they should be displayed in a space with few or no windows. Artificial lighting is preferred.
Trophies should be cleaned regularly — every six months. Stand back, blow off the dust, and use a pet brush to gently groom the hair back into position. You can use Windex to clean the eyes only. Lemon Pledge can be applied to antlers, but never to horns. With regular maintenance, a mount can last indefinitely.
It’s critical that a hunter understands what’s required to prepare a skin in the field. This is often the responsibility of a guide or an outfitter, but unfortunately, it doesn’t always happen and great trophies can be lost in the field. To avoid this scenario, we recommend reading our field preparation guide carefully.
We would love for you to visit our showroom. We can also set up walk-through tours of the work area to see the process up close.
There are no discounts for bulk orders. We are a craft studio that puts the same amount of artistry, effort, and time into each individual project.
Yes. We are capable of minor restorations as well as full repairs.
Yes. Everything displayed on our website is an original project that we proudly created and photographed in-house.
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