The Carousel Impala is the second in my Shoulder Mount series. The eyes and the delicate features drew me in when I saw this guy at 12 Vultures in Minneapolis. The should mounts take a huge amount of energy, and the first step is to remove the old hide and restore the underlying form to a smooth surface for adhering beads.
The face is simply captivating and the vining floral patterns run down the side of his shoulder on one side.
As I was painstakingly placing each single bugle bead, I was repeatedly reminded of the Bible verse: "And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:26–31 NIV). Although, after 20+ hours, I will admit that I lost track of the number of beads pretty early on in the project.