ANTOINETTE RATCLIFFE

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Antoinette's practice explores anthropomorphic association using a variety of media, including her taxidermy, where the animals find themselves in relationships created out of circumstance. She only uses ethically sourced animals for her taxidermy, many of which are brought to her with a story.
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Concepts of memento mori influence Antoinette's current body of work, giving the pieces an awareness of a quiet and sometimes sinister suspense, while maintaining a whimsical aesthetic. Antoinette completed her Master of Arts at the Wintec School of Media Arts in 2011. She began learning taxidermy in 2014 and introduced the media into her artwork the following year. She has taxidermy pieces in collections held by NZ Bird Society (Auckland), and she is currently working on educational collections for Zealandia and Upper Hutt Predator Free Trust.
 
Antoinette has been a veterinary nurse since 2007, and a member of the New Zealand Taxidermy Association since 2015, attending workshops taken by World Taxidermy Championship award winners Mike Orthober and Dale Manning. Most recently she attended private tuition with Peter Wells of Wildmount Taxidermy, who is well known for his taxidermy pieces at Te Papa, Otago Museum and DOC.