Kira Magee's fascination with oddities began at a young age. Around 11, she started collecting pieces she found on walks in nature.
"I have always loved the strange and odd," she said. "Honestly, I was the weird kid who was obsessed with animals and bugs. It opened my eyes to the beauty in things that people don't normally see as beautiful, such as animals that are considered strange or odd."
Kira has always been a collector, but it wasn't until 2014 that she started turning her collections into art when she discovered live action role-playing, or LARPing.
"I became interested in making bone jewelry after attending a LARP event at Spring Lake Park in Texarkana," she said. In LARPing, participants portray characters through physical action, often in costume and with props. "I was able to dress up as a satyr and started using bones to decorate my costume. ... That's when I got the idea to make jewelry."
A satyr is a mythical creature from Greek mythology often depicted as playful and mischievous beings who enjoy music, dancing and revelry in the forests and mountains.
Unfortunately, Kira had to put her passion on hold due to personal reasons, but she reignited her business in 2022. "My father's passing in 2022 pushed me to follow my dream of making bone art and jewelry again," she said.
Through her business, Moss and Bone, she is able to showcase her creations.
It is clear that Kira is deeply passionate about her craft and takes pride in ethically sourcing all of her materials.
"All of my bones and insects are ethically collected by me or trusted friends. Nothing has died solely for my art. What I can't use, I return to nature."
One of her favorite pieces is a deer skull that was discarded by a hunter behind The Links. "The hunter had cut off the antlers, so I replaced them with a crown of vertebrae. I also added a garnet in the center of the forehead and adorned it with moss and mushrooms."
For Kira, it is all about honoring the life of the animal. "They deserve to be honored because their life had meaning," she said.
If you have attended any local events recently, you have probably seen Moss and Bone. Kira frequently sets up her booth at Downtown Live and the Art Walk. She has also been a vendor at Universal Vibe. "I am very thankful for the opportunity to showcase my art among other great artists and businesses downtown," Kira said, experssing her gratitude.
People have been very receptive to her art. "Some people may seem freaked out or think it's weird and scary, but I have had more positive interactions than negative. I know it's not everyone's thing, but more people than you think love oddities or just unusual things in Texarkana."
While Moss and Bone currently does not have an online store, you can contact Kira and view all of her pieces on her Instagram page, listed below. She plans to continue being a vendor at local events and hopes to expand into electroplating in the near future. Despite life's unpredictability, Kira is determined to keep making art and sharing it with others.
You can reach Kira through her Instagram page at instagram.com/mossandbone_obscura. You can also catch Moss and Bone every second Friday of each month at Downtown Live from 6 to 8 pm.
In addition to being a writer, lifelong Texarkana resident Nicci McCarty is a photographer, songwriter and musician. She performs both solo and with her band, Brain Panic.
Local artist Kira Magee turns found objects from nature into one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry.(Photo by Nicci McCarty)