Oddities and Curiosities
What is an oddity, and why is it so curious?
And oddity can be a peculiar person, thing, or event. These are things that are strange, unusual and bizarre.
If you're anything like me, these kinds of things will fascinate you.
From (albeit unethical and exploitative) carnival freak shows such as PT Barnhams famous Jo-Jo The Dog Faced Boy & the glorious Bearded Woman, to oddities of the animal kingdom such as two-headed snakes or Wood Frogs of Alaska (that freeze two-thirds of their body solid for seven months of the year..) I've just never been able to get enough of the unusual and "freaks" of nature.
Oddities and Curiosities are often closely linked with witchcraft, magic and the macabre too; one of my favorite places to visit is the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle: https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/
Taxidermy, entomology and skulls etc often fall into this category also, or sit very close to it. (I mean, how weird are bones? Once you die, if your body is in the right conditions your skeleton could be around for thousands of years, I love that thought.)
Some are repulsed by the idea of taxidermy or skeletons, and whilst I understand having the (cleaned) remnants of a dead cow or deer hanging up in your home is an acquired, yet popular taste, I think most people can appreciate the strange beauty of skulls, or at least have some interest in what goes on underneath the skin.
I don't think it's hard to see that all of my work at Jawline Jewellery is inspired by the unusual. I'm not actually a fan of dolls; they creep me out a bit, but i (unsurprisingly) do love their moving eyes. There's just something unsettling about them in a conflictingly cute way.
The Blackened Teeth's Doll Head Candles manage to grab that same feeling perfectly too:
Watching a doll's head Melt is pretty macabre, but you just can't stop looking at it, can you?
Oddities aren't for everyone, and to me, that's what makes them even better; I understand why people don't like certain things, but I sometimes like that slightly unsettling feeling an object can give you, and I certainly celebrate anyone who doesn't fit the norm or who has unusual talents.