Avian Artistry & Taxidermy - Montana by Leon Mathews

03/29/2024

King Eider, the hardest waterfowl to get. Beautiful bird.

03/26/2024

This is Tami, Leon’s wife. I just wanted to pop on here and say thank you to all Leon’s customers and fans of his artwork. Leon loves creating beautiful work for his clients, and you probably know he is a perfectionist. He puts so much effort in and works so hard to make sure you have a quality piece of art in your home. I have to laugh sometimes because he will point out everything that is wrong and it looks perfect to me. And I am sure it does to you too! He is his own worst critic. But thank you for continuing to support his passion and talent. I thought for those clients who have never been to his little Montana shop you might like seeing where he works and the beautiful view he has out his window. For the dozen years he was in the shop in Kennewick he was in a concrete building with zero windows so this is a real treat & his dream shop now even as small as it is. So here is the artist in his habitat!

03/26/2024

Just finished up this Hungarian Partridge for a client here in Montana. Very happy with how it turned out with the clients antelope skull.

03/15/2024

Is it alive or is it a mount?
Only your taxidermist knows for sure.

03/07/2024

Haven’t been posting much lately but have been putting out some quality mounts this winter. This pintail was a very nice specimen. Hope you all had a successful hunting season this past year.

12/21/2023

Harlequins are my favorite duck to mount. This one is from Prince of Wales Island Alaska for the owner of Harlequin Lodge. https://harlequinlodge.com

It is a perfect specimen! As good as it gets. Thanks Lucas for giving me the opportunity to mount one for your lodge.

12/10/2023

I’ve done a lot of pheasants in my career as a taxidermist. Anyone else had a pheasant with a tail this long…27”? Very happy to see lots of pheasants coming into the shop again this year.

11/09/2023

Love when a client sends me a photo of birds they just got home and hung. Thanks Paul for the photos

08/07/2023

Good to be back in the shop working after a couple months off doing projects around the homestead. Headed to Tri Cities with these Sharp Tailed Grouse on board for a client in Spokane. Hunting season will be here before we know it and I’ve got some room on my books for a few more birds if you’ve got some hanging around in your freezer.

03/19/2023

03/18/2023

Love doing upland birds and here are few species of grouse I’ve recently done. Do you know the other name for spruce grouse, the pair on the left?

03/11/2023

Pair of beautiful green wing teal

03/10/2023

Black ducks finally finished with a little snow scene

03/10/2023

Pair of nice full plumage spoonbills with painting & habitat.

03/09/2023

Pair of widgeons with a painting & habitat.

03/08/2023

Catching up on some recent work. Pair of Cinnamon teal went out the door couple weeks ago.

01/13/2023

Here are a few mounts I’ve knocked out in the last couple weeks. Some are waiting to be painted yet. Hope everyone is doing well and had great holidays and a have great 2023.

08/31/2022

After taking some time off this summer I am back in the shop. Created this shadow box out of 100 yr old wood from a torn down old ranch building here in the valley for these 2 dead mount geese.

04/03/2022

I’ve always wanted to compete at the Montana show, and since it was literally in my backyard this year after a 2 year hiatus I made the hour trip up to Missoula. The judge was one of the toughest bird judges there is, the world champion bird taxidermist Mike Nakeilski. The Montana show I’ve heard is the toughest to win at, so I feel really happy with how I did there. On the Spec I got State Champion waterfowl and a first place ribbon, as well as Ducks Unlimited award, and received Taxidermist Choice Best Bird on my Hooded Merganser which is always appreciated coming from my fellow taxidermists. It was a great show, with wonderful board members, judges and taxidermists from across the state and Idaho & Wyoming.

03/08/2022

Just a couple shots from my little showroom in my new shop here in Montana

03/08/2022

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted any of my work since moving here to Montana. Here is a piece I just finished for a client. Thank you to all of you who have had birds with me waiting patiently during this move & shop construction. I appreciate your support. Leon

02/16/2022

05/04/2021

05/04/2021