My Creative Process - Unique Beaded Deer Skull Art
For a few years now, I have been creating very unique home decor pieces - my beaded deer skulls. The first one that I ever created was for an art show here in Austin, Texas but since then, I’ve fallen in love with the process of prepping, painting, and layering beads on these amazing skulls. It brings me a lot of joy to transform and honor the life that once existed. So far, I’ve been so blessed that every skull has sold and is now igniting every home with magic and wonder.
I am currently working on a beaded deer skull that I’m hoping to finish by May 2021. I started it during my travels to El Paso and it is inspired by the White Sands National Park and the mountains that surrounded me during my stay.
The process for creating my deer skull art is very lengthy - as with most of my beaded pieces. First, I have to find or source a skull. The energy of the raw material and how the animal transitioned makes a huge difference in the way I feel when working with a skull. That means I am very picky about where I get my skulls. I have been very lucky to have mostly received them as gifts from my supporters or from vintage shops during my travels to the Big Bend area.
The second phase is cleaning. Although it doesn’t sound fun, it is one of the most important parts. I treat it like a canvas that needs to be stretched and prepped. Depending on the skull, it can take anywhere from 3 days to 1 week to fully clean. During this time, I love to let the skull soak up the sunlight and moonlight (especially at a full and new moon). I often surround it with my favorite crystals, plants, and even smoke from my favorite incense. I love infusing it with loving energy and cleansing it with the elements.
During this phase, I journal about the piece a lot. I set an intention for my vision and I write about how I would like to feel during the creative process. Usually, some words really stick out and I write them right on the skull itself using a pencil - it is a hidden element that becomes permanent but hidden once I add paint and beads. It makes me so happy to include these special details and make what could be a daunting cleaning process magical and special.
The third phase is where I get to put on my painting apron and get a little messy! This is the part where I feel most like an artist - it’s likely the paint that brings that out in me. This part of the process is an exercise in bravery as I often make big decisions about what areas I will highlight with white, darken with black, or leave natural with no paint at all. There is no turning back after painting a natural area in black or white so it’s important that I follow my intuition about this and not let the fear paralyze me.
Finally, I embellish the piece with 24K gold plated beads, gold leaf, natural cotton, gold thread, and glass seed beads. I pick every bead up and adhere it to the skull - one by one. This step is the lengthiest but cannot be rushed and it is what creates the texture and dimension that you see. Depending on the skull, I might add some extra texture using paint with dots or lines.
With the majority of my skulls, I also decorate the underside of the skull. When these pieces are hung on a wall, you won’t see them but if they are displayed as a stand-alone sculpture on a table or pedestal, the underside becomes the focal point. So I love to go the extra mile to make the piece magical on every single side.
I am often asked if I plan out my deer skulls beforehand but I do not. Creating these is a spiritual experience for me and planning would not allow for it to flow naturally. This means that I meditate beforehand. It also means that I never work on it if I’m feeling grumpy, angry, or upset. But most importantly, this is an exercise in following and growing my intuition. Once I am tapped in and relaxed, I listen to something inside that guides me and assists me in making decisions about the paint and beads. As I work through the piece, I get very quiet and tap into that guiding source. I often get nudges and ideas about what to do next, where to place the next bead, or what needs to be highlighted or adjusted. The process is surprising and VERY magical.
I am always surprised by the final result.
Here are the skulls that I’ve made in chronological order:
2018 - Untitled
2019 - Untitled
2020 - Aguas Magicas
2021- Ojo de Agua (in progress)
I am currently opening my books for one custom order for a beaded deer skull. If you are interested in a commission, please reach out to me at santamarialys@gmail.com.