Single woman, 20, who preserves and collects animal skulls says potential love interests ‘ghost’ and ‘friend zone’ her when they learn about her ‘dark’ hobby – but she refuses to give it up
- Jessica Powell, 20, says she has ‘bad luck’ dating because she collects bones
- Artist from Birmingham says she is often ‘ghosted’ or ‘friend-zoned’
- Says men think she’s a ‘pretty girl’, but she’s a ‘goth who collects dead things’
A woman has revealed how she struggles to find love due to her ‘dark’ hobby of collecting and preserving animal skulls.
Artist Jessica Powell, 20, from Birmingham, said men often ‘ghost’ or ‘friend zone’ her when they learn she enjoys skinning animals and treating their bones.
But she refuses to change or ditch her hobby, believing the right person will one day come along.
Jessica Powell, 20, from Birmingham, says that she has ‘bad luck’ in the dating field when she tells them about her unusual hobby of collecting bones (pictured holding a heaver and roe deer skull)
The artist and model says she is often ‘ghosted’ and ‘friend zoned’ by men when she tells them about her hobby, but refuses to change who she is or hide her love for preserving bones
Jessica has a passion for collecting skulls and preserving them, which involves skinning the animal, boiling it and putting the bones in peroxide to whiten them as well as degrease and disinfect them before adding it to her collection. Pictured, her collection
She said: ‘I haven’t had much luck in the dating field. It all goes well until I tell them about my passion for collecting skulls and preserving them which involves skinning the animal and then boiling it.
‘I then put the meatless bones in peroxide to whiten, degrease and disinfect before adding it to my collection. I love my hobby and find it really interesting but not everyone agrees.
‘When speaking to guys, they usually see me as a model and automatically think pretty girl but in real life, I’m a goth who collects dead things.
‘The conversation instantly fizzles out or I get friend-zoned. It’s quite sad. But I am a metalhead and I love all sorts of dark stuff.
‘I would never want to keep it as a secret as I am open about everything I do.
Jessica, who is also a horse rider, began collecting fake skulls before she started collecting real ones, with some of her collection purchased from Facebook. Others come from animals she has found on the side of the road
‘I wouldn’t want to stop doing this and change anything about myself. There’s going to be someone out there that will like everything about me and all my little quirks.’
Jessica, who is a horse rider, began collecting fake skulls before the real deal.
Jessica said that her family aren’t pleased when she brings dead animalsome
Some of her collection has been purchased from Facebook whilst others are from animals she has found on the side of the road.
She said: ‘I absolutely adore animals and I’m fascinated with anatomy. I’m not really squeamish but I don’t touch dead animal when they have been decomposed.
‘I have a pair of sparrow’s wings after finding it dead on the side of the road. Along with a pigeons skull.
‘I remove their tongue and eyes which doesn’t bother me that much. But the texture can make me heave.
‘Once I dissect the animal I put the rest of its body into the ground and let nature take its course. My dog also caught a rat and killed it so I processed it and have kept the skull.’
But not all skulls come free, Jessica has spent over £200 on her collections which includes the bones of a fox, beaver, raccoon, three minks and horses. Along with bird wings and feet which are all shelved in her bedroom.
She added: ‘My family aren’t too pleased when I bring something dead home. They are a little grossed out.
‘But my friends think it’s cool. I hope to one day meet someone who isn’t grossed out by it too!’