Burrowed into a den of fake fur and pillow foam, 28-year-old Laurie Johnson works on her newest life-size costume wielding an electric turkey carver and a pair of scissors. Johnson has been handcrafting mascots since the age of 15, when she went to her first convention.
"I originally was very interested in anime and made costumes for conventions and just never stopped," she said.
Since those early beginnings Johnson has made more than 20 costumes for herself, friends and even corporations including the Tennessee Aquarium and McKamey Animal Center, averaging about three a year. Her mascots are all one-of-a-kind and made to support an organization, a team, or simply to entertain. The swollen-head characters take an average of 40 to 70 hours each to complete, but that translates into weeks of work, as Johnson has a full-time job as an animal control officer and works sporadically whenever she feels the calling.
Johnson, who has never had formal training, uses the Internet to get basic ideas about materials and how to assemble them, but also relies heavily on her creativity.
"I can't tell you how many times I've walked around the hardware store to look for things that might work. ... You just have to have a little imagination," Johnson said of her work method. "The best thing I can compare it to is chain-saw carving. It's kind of like that, but with foam."
After Johnson packs up her sewing machine, glue gun and cutting devices, she occasionally slides into one of her creations. She loves the look on her niece's face when she shows up dressed as a huge dog, and she has plans to finish her current pink bunny outfit before Easter. Johnson does take commissions for mascots, starting at $1,400 and up depending on difficulty, but she strives to keep the work occasional so she can continue to enjoy it.
"I love making mascots and occasionally selling them, but it's definitely not my full-time work and I'd like it to stay that way," Johnson whispered with a smile.
Photo Moment is a weekly column by the Times Free Press photo staff that explores the seldom-told stories of our region.
Laurie Johnson, 28, works on a personal project creating a pink bunny mascot while at her sister's house in North Chattanooga in late October. Johnson has been creating one-of-a-kind custom mascots for individuals and companies, including the Tennessee Aquarium and McKamey Animal Center, for the past 16 years.