Life and Work with Savannah Switzer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Savannah Switzer.

Hi Savannah, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2017, I started a business, Juniper Oddities, that was intended to be an upcycling opportunity for a world full of fast fashion and cheap products. Often I would find myself hunting for clothing and unique home décor but quickly became overwhelmed with the amount of work going into upcycling items. There were too many paths I was trying to follow and I ended up closing that business down in 2019. My partner and I ended up moving to Colorado shortly after and I felt myself longing for the work I used to do but unsure of what specifically I was craving.

(A bit of backstory) During my work at Juniper Oddities, I had picked up a hobby of bug pinning. I was no professional, I found dead bugs outside and worked my way through many YouTube videos explaining “How to Pin Bugs”. This hobby I continued after my work there and into our move to Colorado. I was even able to find a local shop that sourced bugs, stones, bones and other things for pinning. Immediately this took over all of my free time and I started to make bug displays and shadow boxes.

During all this time, I still had a hankering to hunt for secondhand treasures. I came to find out that Colorado resale shops had an abundance of donated cloches, cloths, shadow box frames, etc. After collecting for some time, I came to realize that this was what I wanted to do.

I built the inventory and was ready to dip my toes in the water but was not fully prepared to do so alone. Fortunately, my partner was eager to be a part of this new venture and agreed to assist. I came up with our name, Taurus Moon Curios, created an LLC and we were off! Today you can find me on social media under @TaurusMoonCurios and my work is being sold in Ampersand Coffee Roasters in Gunbarrel, CO.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a challenging road but it is finally starting to smooth. I have a B.A. in Studio Arts and a minor in Music Technology and Production, no background of business whatsoever. Even trying to single out my craft and build a reputation for my work was challenging. Building inventory and creating new works came easy but pricing or selling my work, even listing it online was incredibly difficult. My partner has been so gracious to assist in areas that are unfamiliar to me and he has given so much time and energy into making this a reality.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in what I like to call “artistic entomology”. I make bug displays, educational or whimsical. All of my work is trial-and-error, there is nothing I do identical in any project.

Something I believe that sets me apart is that strive to find an ethical and humane source for my bugs, arachnids, and flora. Secondhand is also very important to me. There is a huge sense of guilt I feel when buying something new instead of using something secondhand that was discarded to so minor scratches. It’s important to reuse and revitalizes items that have more use in them.

I’m very proud to be able to tell people with confidence that I am self-made and self employed in a business that I started. I realize that I have an opportunity to work with my hands in a field that I love and I get to take advantage of that every day.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
My parents would describe me as a “tom-boy” and went along with most things I asked, including signing me up for hockey (which turned out to be an all boys league), and joining the wrestling team at school. They supported me in all my desired activities and created opportunities for me to learn new things.

I was always outside, in the mud, looking for anything I found interesting. I recall my parents buying me a khaki “zoo keeper” outfit after my obsession with Steve Irwin and his amazing outdoor, hands-on lifestyle. I wanted to be in nature all the time where my hobbies consisted of collecting things from outside and making things with them. I obviously haven’t changed much since then.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TaurusMoonCurios?ref=shop_sugg
• Instagram: @TaurusMoonCurios
• Other: TikTok @TaurusMoonCurios

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me, Savannah Switzer.