Christopher Barnhardt, a native Carolinian, grew up on a small rural farm in Concord, North Carolina. He continues to reside there with his wife and four children. Christopher owns and operates Custom Creations Taxidermy.
Beginning as a young child, squirrel hunting with his dad, Christopher currently enjoys hunting antelope on the prairies of Wyoming or black bear in the aspen covered hills of Canada. He continually studies the movement and postures of animals to better understand physical and behavioral characteristics to recapture the lifelike realism in his creations.

Entering his 1st taxidermy competition in 1990, he won a first place blue ribbon and best of category. It was just the begining of one of the country's most competitive taxidermist. He began to travel throughout the US competing and winning awards at state, national, and world levels. A collection of over 200 awards includes judge’s choice best of category, people’s choice, best all around taxidermist, and best life-size mammal. A few of his personal favorite honors earned are:

-NC taxidermist association master taxidermist
-National champion game head
-Most artistic entry
-National taxidermist assoc award of excellence
 

Not only does Chris travel throughout the country competing, but is active in judging taxidermy competitions. In addition, he is one of the trade’s most prestigious seminar instructors

Taxidermy isn't the only talent Chris possesses. At the early age of five, he began to draw squirrels and foxes in his rural surroundings. As a self taught flat artist he ventured into pastels and oils on canvas as he grew older. His landscape paintings of the Carolina coastline and misty waterfalls of the northern mountains have earned him to be the first artist to receive the NC taxidermist assoc. Award of excellence in the original art category. After more than two decades of mixing colors to just the right tone, he has now expanded into the world of three dimensional sculpting. Whether transforming blocks of clay into a majestic grizzly bear standing over his morning catch, or the powerful hand of our creator holding up Noah's ark in safely from the forty day flood, Chris sits and meticulously sculpts figurines into moments captured in time. Despite never having had any formal art training, several people who have collected his original art works have said "He was truly born with an artistic gift given to him from God."
 

Thank you for viewing our website. If we can assist you in anyway, whether it is designing the perfect mount to add to your trophy collection or enhance your home or office with one of my original artworks, please contact us.