Taxidermy is the stuffing and posing of dead animals to make them look like they are alive - a form of art work.
Mickey Alice Kwapis (pictured above), began teaching her unique taxidermy classes to the public three years ago. Since then, thousands of people around the world have become have-a-go animal stuffers. Mickey, 24, said she became interested in taxidermy from a young age after collecting dead bugs. Costs of the class range from $200 to $300 based on the cost of living in a given country and she insists on only using road kill or animals who have died from natural causes for her work.
The artist, from Chicago in Illinois, teaches the course across five different countries - US, Canada, UK, New Zealand, and Australia.
She said: 'Everyone I have in the classes is very open-minded.They wouldn't have signed up for a taxidermy class if they hated the idea of working with a deceased specimen.'I think the most common reaction I get is that the process isn't as gross as students initially anticipate.
'It's eye-opening to be able to take something that's essentially a furry lump of frozen meat and turn it into something beautiful that looks alive and can last forever - that's so rewarding.'
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