Where do you find your parts?
I find things anywhere that I find myself…in obscure junk shops, flea markets, attics, taxidermy supply houses, specialty hardware distributors…or even just walking through the woods. Some of the materials used in my work are: antique ceremonial collar, antlers, bone, velvet, antique hardware, glass eyes, universal joints, springs, brass standoffs, casters, mink collars, saxophone keys, antique shoehorn, beads, lamp fittings, glove leather, music wire, cast pewter feet…

Bones:
With the exception of replicas and common domestic species (eg. chickens) animal bones are acquired from licensed distributors, the sort of company that a natural history museum might work with if they were putting together an exhibit. I have a strong affinity for animals and take care to deal only with reputable companies, whose specimens are legally and ethically obtained.

How are they put together?
The many components are assembled using as many techniques as there are parts. The fastenings for a crest of feathers are quite different than for a headpiece of brass on bone. In my work, I look back to a time when one’s craft was evolved over many years, honed through apprenticeships. The parts are integrated with the finely wrought craft of an artisan watchmaker.

Miniature machine bolts, springs and couplings comprise anatomical structures. Many of the beasts have hidden movements: a spring loaded beak, snapping jaws, jointed legs and adjustable tails. Some creatures are free-standing but have mechanisms to allow for movement or multiple positions. __(From FAQ at jessicajoslin.com)

"I am fascinated by the aesthetic of the golden age of the circus. I love to dream (even as a child, when I was told to go to bed, I had no hesitation, because I loved the life hidden inside of dreams). To my eyes, twilight is sweetest time of day. I am married to an amazing woman and artist, who fascinates me again and again. Enoch Bolles, Christian Schad and Balthus are heroes to me. I’m currently teaching myself German. My favorite record could very well be Sisters of Mercy’s “First, Last and Always” or possibly Tom Waits, “Franks Wild Years”. No other meal quite compares to raw oysters in a half shell, followed by a horseradish steak-rare. I am always attuned to the presence of birds, even in the city, and can recognize the species from a distant silhouette or faint call."__Jared Joslin

2011 exhibitions where you will have seen or can find this couple's art (individually):

JARED JOSLIN

..Stop, Look and Glisten, Firecat Projects, Chicago, IL

JESSICA JOSLIN