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THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 ■ PAGE B1
SEALY NEWS
Animal artistry Taxidermist gives new life to wildlife By JOE SOUTHERN editor@sealynews.com
John Guidry is in the business of giving things life after death. The former machine shop operator is a taxidermist who is in high demand in the Sealy area and whose work permeates the community. “These guys go on hunting trips and create those memories. I recreate those memories for them,” he said. Working out of a new, rustic-looking facility at 4039 FM 1094, Guidry is an artist and craftsman who spends his days sculpting lifelike masterpieces out of wildlife. “Taxidermy is not for everybody,” he said. “You have to be a little discreet about your business and what you do.” For those who desire his services, they are drawn to him because of quality work he does and the realism he puts into each mount. “He does very good work for me,” said Kevin Krampitz who is one of Guidry’s best and longest customers. “He’s done probably 25-30 heads for me at least,” said Krampitz, who has been taking his hunting trophies to Guidry since the early 1990s.
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
John Guidry works on a deer mount in his shop located near Sealy. The local taxidermist is in high demand with hunters in the region. When asked what he does with all the mounts, Krampitz said, “I have a very understanding wife.” So does Guidry. The job is demanding and time-consuming. He can easily lose himself in a project well into the evening. The nature of the job requires he work weekends so he can meet with clients. “She’s used to it,” he said of his wife, Jamie. When Guidry took the
business full-time about five or six years ago, she came onboard as his bookkeeper. “I couldn’t have done this without her,” he said. In addition to the books, she helps with the tedious paperwork the state requires of taxidermists. That gives Guidry more freedom to do the actual work. There is no shortage of work. “Last year I did 463
projects,” he said. That included 140 shoulder mounts and 85 skull mounts. Shoulder mounts are basically the head and neck of the deer, elk or other animal with horns or antlers. The lion’s share of his work are deer mounts, though he gets a lot of goats and an assortment of cats, birds and other game. Guidry is self-taught. He received his first instruction from a mail-
order book advertised in the back of a comic book. “I still have the first mount I ever did,” he said. “I use it to put my feet on the ground to show me where I came from.” While working at Cameron Iron Works he began doing taxidermy on the side as a hobby. As he got better, his business steadily grew. He started in 1993 and just a few years ago felt he reached the point
where he could quit his day job and make a living off his hobby. “The business is growing about where I want it to be. I’m not the biggest … I want to be considered one of the best,” he said. Guidry prides himself of the realism of his mounts. He is particularly focused on the eyes. “I try to make the ani■ TAXIDERMY, page B6
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TAXIDERMY continued from Page B1 mal look like he’s looking at something,” he said. He said he works on the definition around the eyes to make them appear as real as possible. “I actually sculpt around the eyes before I mount the deer,” he said. “John’s very creative and that’s the key word – very creative,” said B.R. Koehler, another of Guidry’s clients. “He makes them look alive.” Koehler took a 10-point buck on a bow hunt in 2011. The trophy is on display in Guidry’s shop. “He did a very good job on this one,” Koehler said. Guidry said the key is for hunters to properly skin and preserve the animal in the field. Too often the specimen is ruined before it arrives. When he does take one in, he skins it and removes the antlers. The hide is shipped to a commercial tannery. It and the antlers are mounted on a Styrofoam mannequin, sculpted, groomed and detailed for delivery. Although it only takes a couple days for Guidry to do the actual work, it can take 12 months or more before a mount is ready for delivery. That is how far backlogged he is and it is not unusual for that to happen in the taxidermy industry. The demand often far
The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
John Guidry usually has several mounts in progress at a time in his taxidermy shop. exceeds service. “I can get a months worth of work coming in every week in November,” he said. Some of the work is shipped out to specialists, such as skull cleaning and fish mounts. He
said many taxidermists are becoming specialists, often dealing with specific species or animal groups. Guidry’s passion is whitetail deer, though he works on most mammals and birds.
“I see something different in every one I do,” he said. He said he really enjoys working with children. One of the few charitable jobs he does is creating skull mounts for children with heart
problems who hunt with a group called Hunt With Heart. Guidry enjoys seeing something positive happen in the lives of children facing life and death issues. As with all his clients, he tries to
make each mount special. “I want everyone to feel they’re getting something unique,” he said. For more information about Guidry’s business, visit www.taxidermybyjohn.com.
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TEXAS
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015 ■ PAGE B1
A sinking feeling over 'Texas Rising' Re-enactors skeptical, hopeful about History Channel show "Texas Rising" airs at 8 p.m. Monday on the History Channel
By JOE SOUTHERN editor@sealynews.com
Every year history repeats itself across the battlefields of Texas as dozens of volunteers don 1830s period clothing, grab their muskets and set out to re-enact the battles and events that led to the rise of the Republic of Texas. Those same re-enactors will be watching with a skeptical eye Memorial Day when the History Channel airs its “Texas Rising” miniseries depicting the Texas Revolution and the start of the Texas Rangers. The series stars Bill Paxton as Gen. Sam Houston. J.P. and Briana Beaulieu, members of the Texas Living History Association, said they are taking a wait and see attitude toward the show, “only because Bill Paxton did some of his research with us.” “Hey, I’m just excited and looking forward to the entertainment of it since it’s about Texas,” added Don Lawrence of Big Spring. “But with tongue in cheek of course, since the History Channel is well known for its revisionist views.
So you can’t take it all too serious.” “(It) Should be entertaining if you aren’t expecting historical accuracy. I believe that’s just too much to hope for,” said Robert Springer of New Caney. Jonathan Gomez of Euless also has his doubts. “Looks fun but highly doubt it will tell the tale of the Texas Rangers of the time as it claims it’s going to do,” he said. The skeptics are used to going under the microscope of accuracy, especially as it relates to early Texas history. The re-enactors re-trace the trail of the Texas Army each spring as members of various re-enactment groups who annually entertain and educate the masses at historical sites. Although numerous communities celebrate their role in history with festivals and re-enactments from San Antonio to Houston, only a handful of the celebrations mark the significant events that led to the surrender of Antonio
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The History Channel
Bill Paxton (center) rides as Sam Houston in the History Channel's "Texas Rising" miniseries that airs Memorial Day. Lopez de Santa Anna at San Jacinto and the war cry of “remember the Alamo!” The re-telling begins the first weekend of each October with the Come and Take It Festival and re-enactment in Gonzales. The Come & Take It Festival marks the firing of the first shot of the Texas Revolution on Oct. 2, 1835 when Texian rebels refused to turn over a small cannon to the Mexican Army.
The story of the 1836 War for Texas Independence slows down until late February when it really takes off. The next major reenactment isn’t a battle – although there are cannon and musket firing demonstrations – but rather a re-creation of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence that takes place in the first weekend in March at Washington-on-theBrazos near Navasota.
The two-day event is more of a living history demonstration depicting life in Texas in 1836. One of the biggest annual re-enactments is the Battle of the Alamo, held the weekend closest to March 6, usually one week after Washington-on-theBrazos. Although a commemorative re-enactment his held annually in the early morning hours of March 6, the weekend celebration draws huge crowds to
the confined space of Alamo Plaza where the fall of the fort is played out several times over two days in San Antonio. Three weeks after the fall of the Alamo, reenactors converge on Presidio La Bahia in Goliad where they set up camp inside the rebuilt fort and play out the events of the Goliad Massacre. On Saturday they do a few battle reenactments between ■ TEXAS, page B4
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The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN
Al Bouler as David Crocket, Brian Shajari as Col. William Travis and Cameron Lyman as a Capt. The Sealy News/JOE SOUTHERN John Baugh pose in front of the Alamo. Mexican soldados overrun Texian defenders during a re-enactment at the Alamo last March. Re-enactors, who strive for accuracy in the retelling of Texas history, are skeptical of how the story will play out when the History Channel airs "Texas Rising" on Memorial Day.
TEXAS
continued from Page B1 Texian and Mexican forces, followed by the Battle of Coleto Creek, where Col. James Fannin and 340 of his men were taken prison and returned to La Bahia, which Fannin had renamed Fort Defiance. On Sunday, the Texians are marched out to a field by Mexican troops where they are shot down in a slaughter. Fannin and others in his command were executed inside the Presidio. In the month between the Goliad Massacre and the eventual victory at San Jacinto, the mass retreat of Texans from the advancing Mexican Army known as the Runaway Scrape is re-enacted on a weekend in Richmond at the George Ranch Historical Park. The re-enactment season climaxes around April 21 each year at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site when large numbers of re-enactors perform a near real-time re-creation of the 18-minute battle that ended with the capture and surrender of Santa Anna. The event captivates thousands of visitors each year at the monument and now includes a huge festival.
Can you believe C b li it it is i graduation d ti time tii again? i ? Another A th crop of Sealy High School and Faith Academy of Bellville seniors are preparing to say goodbye to high school and begin a new chapter in their lives. They have accomplished a lot and this is a time they want to celebrate and remember forever. We will congratulate them and create a keepsake they can always remember their graduation by with The Sealy News Salute to Graduates 2015. This section will include photos and biographical information of graduates as well as congratulations from all those who have watched them grow up. Reserve your space in this special by Thursday, May 21 and let this year’s graduates know how proud of them you are. The section will publish June 4. Full page (10”w x 9.75”h) 1/2 page (10”w x 4.79”h) 1/4 page (4.91”w x 4.79”h) 1/8 page (4.91”w x 2.31”h) One color Full color
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For the love of history and Texas There are several reenactment groups across Texas, many of them with overlapping membership. Among them are the Texas Army, the San Antonio Living History Association, and the San Jacinto Living History Volunteers. The Texas Army oversees the events in Washingtonon-the-Brazos and San Jacinto and they participate in most other reenactments.
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ing a wait-and-see attitude toward “Texas Rising” but is hoping for the best. Regardless, he will continue to do his duty to inform and educate people about the real events. “I am active in reenacting for the love of Texas history,” he said. “I hope that in my portrayals that I may have the opportunity to educate the public about the Texas fight for independence in ways that cannot be obtained from reading a book. Plus, as a soldado, I have the chance to educate the public about the Mexican side of the revolution.” Roland N. Salazar, a marketer from Houston, portrays various roles in the 1821 to 1846 Mexican Army. He also does Civil War civilians and carpetbaggers, Victorian era civilians and is a colonial Spain soldier. “This wonderful, fun hobby is all about educating the public, period,” he said. “My main purpose is also to recruit new participants of all ages. I hope to spark interest in educators and all aspiring thespians.” Brian Shajari of San Antonio played Col. William Travis at this year’s Alamo re-enactment. “It’s so very humbling (to portray him) because he was such a very important person,” he said. Also this year marked the passing of the baton from father to son as longtime Santa Anna re-enactor Hilario De La Pena gave the position to his son, Phillip. “We’re keeping the tradition alive with our family here,” he said. “It feels fantastic (to play the part),” Phillip said. “I’m a great lover of history; I treasure it.”
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“We have a commission from the governor of the state of Texas,” said Gen. Jerry Tubbs of Houston. “Texas is the only (state) to have an army. The rest are militias.” He said that given the antiquated nature of their armaments that they’re not likely to be mustered into active duty. “We’re going to be the last line of defense if something comes up,” he said. As the leader of the group, Tubbs, 64, is the only member of the Texas Army to not carry the rank of colonel. A reinforcing steel detailer by day, he portrays the commander of the Mexican artillery at each event but Washington-ontheBrazos where he plays a Texian. “I’m a cross dresser,” he said, joking about playing roles on both sides of the war. Many members have uniforms from both sides of the conflict and play whatever part they’re called upon as the situation dictates. Members in the army must go through a rigorous application process and also provide their own period costumes and weaponry. He said the membership test includes written essay, having approved clothing and gear and a marksmanship test. Once on board, they are given a full commission as a colonel in the Texas Army. Period clothing isn’t cheap. Custom made outfits can run upward of $500 to $600 for a Texian and $1,200 for a Mexican military uniform. The guns begin at $1,200 and go up. Most use some type of flintlock or rifle ranging from .45 to .75 caliber. Tubbs said he is tak-
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