Sue Moerder, who grew up in nearby Delco, always knew she was destined to be an artist.

Today, the former tattoo artist and advertising designer has fulfilled her destiny, creating skull art, writes Stephanie Farr for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

She’s not sure where her first skull came from.

“You work in Jersey and everybody hunts and has deer skulls and then you’re a tattoo artist and everybody assumes you love skulls.”

So six years ago, someone gave her a deer skull. Moerder decorated the skull with mandalas and lace. Over time, her pieces have grown larger, more elaborate, with skulls within skulls, mannequin torsos, unusual metal objects.

Now she’s closed her tattoo shop in Hammonton, N.J., pursuing skull art full time in Northern Liberties.

 “COVID kind of made me realize at 61, I’m not completely happy, and if I’m going to make the move in my life, I better hurry up and do it,” she said. “It’s a big chance I’m taking right now and it’s scary, but it feels like it’s the right place.

Her pieces have received mixed reactions. She’s OK with that.

“But for once in my life, I’m enjoying living with my art.”

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer about Sue Moerder.

See the art of deer skull wood burning.