Bonelust: Meet Jana Miller: Founder & Artist of Bone Lust

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Meet Jana Miller: Founder & Artist of Bone Lust

BONELUST - Self Portrait with White-tailed Deer Skull 3 - Ver2 Duotone

Self Portrait with White-tailed Deer Skull from 2009

I frequently get requests for interviews by magazines and online sites and I think the short pieces they usually do on my Bone Lust work just doesn't paint the whole picture. So I'm posting this here as the definitive "About Me".

I've been collecting and processing bones and other things of nature for over 35 years now, as of 2014. Just always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have a very science and nature oriented family. I've disliked waste from a vey young age. Started picking up bones and dead insects then. I still keep every single little pieces of animal/insect/fungi/rusty bits I find and try to use them in my art. I'm been called "the ultimate recycler" because it.

BONELUST ART & JEWELRY NATURAL SUPPLIES: Just now sorting these natural supplies that were a bday gifts. Insects, mummified frogs, bones, crab pinchers, snail shells & wasp nests. All ethically sourced & found by chance over many years. Already have plans

Naturally Dead Nature Finds For BoneLust Art Aupplies

I've been making animal bone and human teeth jewelry since the late 1980s - early 1990s. For a long time I only made it for myself and friends. In 2008, I became unemployed at no fault of my own. Previously, I had worked 10 years for NOAA/USGS deep-sea conservation scientists. So I went back to my roots for my new "career". I started my BoneLust blog in 2009, to share my lifetime of self taught bone processing experience with those that want to learn (without making the mistakes I already had). Soon after I started selling my bone art and jewelry to the public as Bone Lust.

Skunk Skull Wall Mount with Quartz Shard Bullet 1 Front

Skunk Skull Wall Mount with Quartz Shard Bullet created in 2013, by BoneLust

99% of my bone/taxidermy supplies I find dead and process myself. Even the insects. Ethical sources are very important to me. I can't stress this enough. My art is not about glorifying death but rather honoring and celebrating life. I would much rather see any of the animals, insects, plants used in my art alive. I never have nor ever will harm or kill an animal, insect or plant for my bone collection or art.

I've been hauling around these 3 old rusty saw blades for probably 15 years now with every intention of using them in my art. They nearly went to the scrap yard recently & I pulled them aside in the last minute. Since this is the year I want to do more ar

Rusty Vintage aw Blades & Skulls For BoneLust Art Projects

My bone processing techniques involve natural decomposition using a bone cage and the help of wild carrion insects. Then followed up by a rinsing step, degreasing step and lastly a sterilizing and whitening step. Leaving me with the strongest quality finished bones possible.

Remains of a squirrel in my bone cage after only two days with optimal weather.

Squirrel Skeleton In My Bone Cage

I'm currently located on the Nature Coast of Florida. Which is in North FL., Gulf of Mexico side. Deep country life is why I can process salvaged animals into bones much more easily than when I lived in more suburban areas of FL in the past. Plus finding deceased animals is easier here as well. Many are roadkill salvaged and from hunter dumping grounds. On a rare occasion I have animals donated to me. Also wanted to note that all animal remains used in my work are legal species for me to use.

BONELUST TOOTH CUSTOM ORDER INFO: I have a number of creations I can make YOUR supplied teeth into. Human, pet or found animal teeth welcome! Glass displays, necklaces & rings. Some already have custom order listings at Bonelust.Etsy.Com in my Custom Orde

Examples of BoneLust Custom Orders With Customer Supplied Pet & Human Teeth

A couple things I specialize in is making art/jewelry out of customer supplied human and pet teeth. I also do pet memorial work. In other words, I get recently deceased furry friends in the mail and I turn them into pretty white bones and jewelry (fur, whiskers, claws, microchip, etc). You can see more examples here.