Prey Taxidermy

Allis Markham’s small bird taxidermy class was 100% worth traveling to from Colorado; if you live not in LA like I do, you won’t regret the travel time. I chose to take this class with Prey Taxidermy with zero prior experience, having only watched a virtual class on skinning and tanning that Allis recorded (I highly recommend these pre-recorded classes btw) to kind of get an idea of what taxidermy was all about. The first day we prepped the skin and the second day was focused on reassembly—really full, information/skill packed days; this is not a "crafting paced" class, it’s more like the ultimate bird anatomy lab you didn’t get to take in school but maybe wish you had. Come hydrated, well rested, ready to work and you will extract the maximum amount of learning from Allis and her very knowledgeable team. She means it when she says you won’t leave with a busted-looking bird; in the final hours of the class we focused on grooming and posing and each student got personal assistance for this. My only regret after taking this class is that I don’t live closer because I would have immediately signed up for another class (regardless, I’m sure I’ll be back for another in the future)!

What an incredible weekend class at Prey Taxidermy! I had no prior experience and in two days, with help from the amazing staff, made a beautiful starling come back to life. Paloma is an exceptionally talented teacher, and Jade, Delaney and Brynn were always willing and ready to answer my zillion questions and help me out when I got stuck. We also got quality time and personal instruction from the legend herself Allis Markham. This is art and these are artists. Will be back!

Allis and her team have literally changed my life. I am starting my taxidermy journey because of this amazing experience. The 'Small Birds' class is everything you want in a learning experience; challenging but attainable, interesting and understandable, unique and captivating. It was the best class I have ever taken. I am checkin my email every day for updates on when her next class might be and saving every dollar I get so that I'm ready when it's up. TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!!!!! Thank you Allis, Brynn, Christine, Lex, and James!!

Excellent! I had a great experience in the Birds 101 workshop, learning from Allis, Paloma, and the whole team. I was impressed not only by their incredible wealth of knowledge, but the way Allis breaks down such complex subject matter into simple steps. She's clearly an experienced instructor, starting the workshop with a short lecture that answered many of the group's basic questions before we even asked them. There was a cozy, inclusive vibe all around. Met lots of interesting science and art-minded folks. It was hard work but also incredibly fun and interesting--well worth it. (Also, easy parking! In LA that matters!) I only regret not taking my first class here sooner.

Paloma was such a wonderful teacher, you can tell she is very knowledgeable and passionate about what she does. I am very grateful for the amount of support and attention they gave me when taking the class. Any time I had trouble with a step (which was often) they would come right over and show me how it’s done. Allis, Paloma, Jade, Delaney, and Brynn thank you so much! You guys made me love taxidermy even more, and I can’t wait to learn everything there is to learn and get started on my own. Kudos!

If you’re searching for a phenomenal taxidermist, stop searching. You found her! I cannot say enough good things about Allis, Paloma, and the team at Prey Taxidermy. Allis made me feel immediately connected and cared for when I needed to get my beloved pet ferret Fedor taxidermied. He was incredibly special to my husband and I, so I knew I wanted the best and someone we could trust-especially after a poor experience with a different taxidermist on our other sweet ferret. Allis and her team took care of every detail and never judged the quirks that we requested. She even offered to fix the poor job done on our other ferrets face, and now we can look at her in fondness instead of sadness. Allis and her team take such pride in their work and they truly love what they do. They don’t just stuff animals, they painstakingly recreate animals in their element, to honor them in a way that is uniquely special to them. If you have a pet or animal that you wish to have taxidermied, I cannot recommend Allis enough! RIP my little bear💙

The classes I’ve taken at Prey Taxidermy have easily been the most fun, fascinating, rewarding experiences that I’ve had in YEARS, and it’s all thanks to taxidermist Allis Markham and her team. I’m a total beginner when it comes to taxidermy, but, by the end of my classes (I’ve now taken three!), I had a beautiful specimen to take home: the skin was prepared meticulously in-house, and then I was given access to the highest-quality tools and materials to craft my piece, using museum-caliber techniques taught by Allis. For two of my classes, we also benefitted from the presence of Allis’s mentor, Tim Bovard from the Natural History Museum of LA County! Taxidermy is a challenging art, but, if you’re interested in natural sciences and want a truly memorable way to spend a weekend in Los Angeles, Prey’s classes are an outstanding way to learn something new in a very welcoming, inclusive environment. The studio itself is gorgeous; the world-class instruction can’t be beat; you’re surrounded by smart, enthusiastic, creative people; and you’ll be so proud of yourself and what you’ve accomplished by the time your class is over. I highly, highly recommend Prey Taxidermy, and I look forward to taking many more classes with Allis, Paloma, Laura, and the rest of the Prey team!