Mainly I work on commission.
What I can make depends on what materials I can get hold of and if it falls into my ethical guidelines.
Prices vary on how much work is to be done and what skulls and bones ect are to be used.
Completion time varies depending on how much work I have on and if I need to order materials.
A general price guideline is approximately-
£35 for a necklace
£50 for a fascinator
£30 for a clip or comb
£100 for a head piece or hat
Again, this is only an approximation and it really depends on what is to be involved.
What I tend to do is work with a customer and discuss what it is they want made. I will then make a sketch to illustrate what I intend to do. If the customer is happy I ask for a 50% deposit and when its recieved I make the item. When its finished I send a photo of it to the customer and if they are happy I will send it after I have recieved the further 50%.
My personal ethic-
I never use animals killed for the purpose of my art (the exception to this rule is some insects). I'm often asked where I get my skulls, bones and animals, this isnt a straight forward answer as I obtain them from all over the place. Here are some examples-
* Rat skulls from frozen rats used as reptile food - I use the head for the skull then give the body back to the shop to be fed to their snakes.
* Rabbits and pidgeons that have been routinely killed as pests - I have a contact whom I pay a nominal amount for them, otherwise they are incinerated.
* Ebay, where I always ask questions before bidding to ensure I don't buy from trappers.
* Road traffic accidents.
I realise this is of course not everyones standard of ethics. If you are vegetarian/vegan (I myself am not) the use of any animal product is more than likely not for you. This is simply my own personal opinion when concerning working ethically.
* Rabbits and pidgeons that have been routinely killed as pests - I have a contact whom I pay a nominal amount for them, otherwise they are incinerated.
* Ebay, where I always ask questions before bidding to ensure I don't buy from trappers.
* Road traffic accidents.
I realise this is of course not everyones standard of ethics. If you are vegetarian/vegan (I myself am not) the use of any animal product is more than likely not for you. This is simply my own personal opinion when concerning working ethically.
Also I do lend out items to photographers and models for photo shoots. For this i charge £10 per item and postage costs covered with the understanding that my work will be cared for and returned safely. If items comes back damaged I expect them to be paid for. I also expect to be able to use the resulting photos in my portfolio
All enquires please email me at ame.solitaire@hotmail.com
Thank you