Jeff de Boer, “Maratha Hussar Mouse”, 2022
nickel, brass and mixed media, 6.5 ”x 3” x 2” (courtesy the artist)
A Calgary sculptor who makes museum-quality armour for mice and cats is enjoying a moment of fame thanks to a story in the online edition of National Geographic.
"My story on the National Geographic website just went live!" Jeff de Boer wrote on Facebook last week in a posting that garnered hundreds of likes.
De Boer has made some 500 suits of animal armour over the last 36 years, spurred by a childhood fascination sparked by a visit to the Glenbow Museum in Calgary.
“I always joke that when I made the first suit of mouse armour, in a millisecond I also became the greatest mouse armourer in the history of mankind,” de Boer told National Geographic.
Jeff de Boer, “Dragon Cat," 2012, steel and mixed media, 22” x 18” x7 ” (courtesy the artist)
His creations range from armour in the style of the Crusaders to medieval Islamic chainmail and Samurai-influenced cat armour that features vanquished mice on the helmet and tailpiece.
The armour is not destined to be worn by animals but instead aims to spark people's imaginations with its fanciful mix of artistry, culture and military history.
De Boer, who studied at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary, also creates jewelry and large-scale public sculptures.