I have to admit I was not prepared for the unbelievable beauty of the Exquisite Creatures exhibit. It was one of the best and most unique exhibits I have ever seen. The artist and naturalist, Christopher Marley, takes animals, fish, insects, and other creatures that have recently died and preserves them. While that itself is not so unusual, what he does with them is. He creates some of the most unique, gorgeous, and fascinating artwork I have ever encountered. REALLY.

I am writing this post from one of my favorite independent, cozy bookstores. I am thinking about all I did during my recent, two-week road trip. It was truly amazing and I’ll start sharing it with you today by giving you an overview.