Remembering David Schwendeman: Museum’s Chief Taxidermist

On November 26, 2012 David Schwendeman, among the last great museum taxidermists, passed away. In a career spanning 29 years, he breathed life into hundreds of exotic birds, snakes, and mammals. He had a terrific, wry sense of humor and was the inpiration for my book Still Life.  For years, I'd stop by his studio and watch him create the illusion of life. You can see his beautiful diorama specimens at the American Museum of Natural History. Read more here

Melissa Milgrom is the author of Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy, reviewed in Audubon's May-June 2011 issue.