About Us

Southern Curiosities is a small, woman-owned business based in Irmo, South Carolina that creates whimsical taxidermy and Victorian inspired nature art.

Each piece is thoughtfully created using sustainably sourced specimens and botanicals, transformed into shadow boxes, terrariums, and reimagined vintage displays. The goal is to preserve the fleeting beauty of life and honor nature even after it has passed.

Inspiration comes from the elegance of Victorian taxidermy, the storytelling of Walter Potter, the imagination of Walt Disney, and the endless creativity of Mother Nature. The result is artwork that is curious, whimsical, and timeless and perfect for collectors, nature lovers, and anyone who enjoys a touch of wonder in their world.

The Artist

A woman with blonde hair, wearing a brown shirt and a black bandana, sitting on the floor and holding an ornate vintage clock decorated with butterflies and foliage.

Hi! I’m Jessica, the artist and creator behind Southern Curiosities. I create whimsical taxidermy and Victorian inspired nature art.

My journey began in the forests of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where my love and deep appreciation for the nature began. I got the opportunity to spend a lot of time in the woods alone with my imagination. We moved down to South Carolina when I was 12 and I got to experience nature in a new way and it was just as magical and inspiring.

At heart, I’ve always been an artist. As a kid, I never stopped creating. Whether I was painting, sewing, sculpting, or cobbling together little inventions from odds and ends, I just always needed to be creating. In 2019, my curiosity led me into the world of entomology, and I began teaching myself insect pinning. What started as a fascination quickly grew into a passion, and by 2020 I started Southern Curiosities as a way to share my creations with others.

In the spring of 2023, I finally took the leap to turn Southern Curiosities into my full-time focus. Each piece I create is a blend of natural beauty, imagination, and storytelling—inspired by enchanted forests, Victorian curiosity cabinets, the charm of animated classics, and the small wonders I find in the world around me.

Every specimen and botanical I use is sustainably sourced. I believe in honoring each life, giving it new purpose and beauty long after it has passed. This respect for nature is at the heart of everything I create, I want to be sure that each piece is treated with intention and appreciation.

Through Southern Curiosities, my hope is to spark a little wonder, curiosity, and connection to the nature, one whimsical creation at a time.