WATCH ABOVE: Teeters Taxidermy is getting a lot of attention for some unusual stuffed squirrel creations including Jedi squirrels and hockey fighting squirrels.
TORONTO – The images depicted are striking in detail: a Jedi Knight locked in a lightsabre duel, a ballerina posing at the end of her dance — even a hockey fight involving two real-life AHL players. Oh, and they happen to be made using stuffed squirrels.
What started as a side project for one Pennsylvania taxidermist has become an Internet curiosity, with many fascinated by the bizarre – but undoubtedly creative – taxidermy creations.
“We have a lot of fun in our shop,” Corin Teeters, owner of Teeters’ Taxidermy, told CBS News. “So we get to explore a little bit, and have some artistic things, some outside the box thinking.”
Teeters’ creations run the gamut from a Star Wars-themed lightsabre duel, a biker posing on his chopper, Marvel superheroes The Incredible Hulk and Thor, Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean – and more.
Even movie scenes are faithfully recreated, such as the “I’m flying, Jack!” scene from Titanic.
All of them arranged, often to incredible levels of detail, using stuffed squirrels.
As Teeters says, it’s all just a way to have a little fun, and explore his creative side.
“We took a lot of art classes in high school, and I like to show a little bit of that off.”
One creation that’s garnered plenty of buzz in the sports world recently is a tableau depicting a brawl between two hockey players.
And not just any players, either – the image depicts Steven Oleksy of the AHL’s Hershey Bears, giving Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ Derek Mathers a stiff right hook.
“We’re Bears fans,” Teeters joked. “I was a Bears fan back when they were still with the Flyers, and now they’re with the Caps, and we’re still following them.”
READ MORE: Wild NS squirrels pose for photos around miniature props
Sadly, anyone looking to add a little squirrel-on-squirrel hockey violence to their collection is out of luck: the hockey dust-up piece is already off the market.
Luckily, plenty of other pieces are still up for auction on Teeters’ eBay page, so there’s still time to grab something for the squirrel enthusiast in your family.
But be prepared to pay a little bit: the Star Wars lightsabre battle piece, for instance, retails for US$600.
And Teeters knows a work like that one may leave some people as disturbed as Darth Vader was by that one Imperial Officer’s lack of faith.
In other words: he understands he needs to appeal to a certain audience.
“For the most part, man, we know who our customers are,” Teeters said. “If they’re a little more conservative, we’re not going to go that route. But we have a few customers that let us do our own thing, and we really appreciate that.”
Any interesting squirrel-in-scene ideas of your own? Teeters’ shop is taking requests.
And yes, just in case you’re wondering: Teeters’ Taxidermy’s primary business is more traditional taxidermy for hunters, sportsmen, and collectors, a business Teeters says he’s been in for nearly 20 years.
But judging from the level of detail on display in these pieces, he may want to consider becoming a full-time “outside-of-the-box” taxidermist.
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