Meet Robert McEachern | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robert McEachern and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robert, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I decided to answer this question from the list of options because it is certainly foremost in the mind of anyone who aspires to sell their artwork. This becomes strikingly apparent at an art show or craft fair. It only takes a few moments of conversation with any of the vendors to see that they have all taken the risk. They have all courageously brought their wares out into public to be measured by the unforgivingly brutal judge, money. Who will spend their hard earned money to buy something that originated in the imagination of and artist, who then manifested it with their hands and then presented it in the public square? This is always a risk. It is a risk with a high cost as well as a high benefit. There’s a comradery among the venders at any show because we have all chosen to take this same risk.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Although rodent taxidermy is not new, I think it’s fair to say there’re some distinctions between my work and others within the genre. It’s the materials I use that sets my work apart. To better understand the choice of materials I use I had better explain how the idea of Squirrel Warriors originated. I wanted to learn taxidermy as a potential career. I bought some taxidermy teaching books and DVDs. It is often helpful to start learning on a readily available critter like a squirrel. I taxidermied a couple of squirrels and then my wheels started turning. I thought, what if a squirrel had just enough smarts to make all his weapons and gear from things they could find in their natural habitat? I had a long background in primitive skills such as bow making, brain tanning, primitive weapons, etc… so I began collecting and preparing those materials to be used in conjunction with the squirrels. We have a running joke in my family that all my life’s decisions have culminated in Squirrel Warriors. Its funny because it’s true. My passion for hunting and primitive skills came together with my intrinsic need to create and folded into my love of the natural world and there you go, a warrior is born. I always try to make as much as possible by hand. I will occasionally buy a prop for one of the squirrels but this is very rare. If they have a rifle, I make it from walnut, metal and epoxy resin. Their bowstrings are of sinew. their clothing is of brain tan deer, elk and bison hide. I tiller each little bow in a very similar way to the full scale bows I make. I will even flint knap many of their tiny little knife blades from obsidian. Even if the viewer does not know anything about the time and effort that goes into preparing these items, their eyes tell them it’s right. They know it’s somehow authentic and more believable even if they don’t know why.

I first brought eight warriors out into public about two years ago. I took them to a local flea market. The reception I got was overwhelmingly positive and it was then that I knew I was on to something. I had this idea for many years and always thought it was a good idea but I had no idea that people would be so drawn to it. I somehow knew that there was something magical about this kind of artwork but it has taken two years of observing people’s reactions to start to understand it. I underestimated the adults need to be drawn into an imaginative and whimsical story. I also underestimated out ancient and innate need to connect to the heroes journey and especially when that hero is the personified animal hero. I still don’t fully understand the significance of humans attraction to the anthropomorphic animal hero. I find it very interesting. Overall I would say that the progression of the business has been rapid and without any great obstacles. I do get some negative feedback of course. The use of animals to create artwork is very distasteful to some. I sympathize, killing any animal is something to be taken seriously. Social media, with all its pitfalls, has been the primary driver for the success of the business. The extraordinary reach has widened my customer base in a way that would have been otherwise impossible. It’s a lot to keep up with for someone of my generation, but used responsibly it is a wonderful tool to grow this business.

What do I want the world to know about my story or my brand? There was a time in my life when I would of been almost singularly concerned with this question. That concern is becoming secondary. The older I get the more interested I am in learning about the timeless and universal need for artwork. I am much more interested and satisfied by learning why people react to my work the way they do than I am about sharing my story. My story is small. I had an idea and I manifested it. My story has a very small lifespan. The Idea that many people are drawn to what I make is rich and timeless. That’s fascinating to me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a pretty funny question to me. Probably because I am a tremendously boring person. If I had a friend that came to visit I would seat them in the shade of the porch during the day and place a cold drink in their hand. I would help them identify the various birds that happened by and we would watch the sailboats on the lake. At night I would offer them a seat around the campfire and we could sit quietly or chat about the unsolvable state of the world. If we ventured out it would be to see the ancient pictographs at Hell’s Gate near where I live. We might also take the kayaks out on the lake for a paddle.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is an easy one. My wife Stephanie gets my shout out. Attempting to make a living as an artist in any medium is not a secure endeavor. Steph has supported my interests with a patience and encouragement that I had no reasonable right to ask for. She has graciously ridden the roller coaster of financial ups and downs. She has endured the endless clutter and messes that inevitably follow the chronic tinkerer. She has accepted and embraced the hardship and shared in the joys of success.

Website: squirrelwarriorstaxidermy@gmail.com

Instagram: @squirrelwarriors

Image Credits
jacobjphotography