Diddly - ETSU Reece Museum Mascot

3D ModelNoAI

This model is a volunteer project I created for the Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University. The Reece Museum contacted me requesting a printable 3D model of their mascot, Diddly the taxidermied opossum. The museum is currently running an event in which a tiny PLA print of Diddly is hidden somewhere in the museum, and any visitor who finds him and posts him on social media gets a prize. Over the years the real Diddly has become discolored and a bit worn, so these prints also allow the museum to bring a physical version of their mascot to events without endangering the original artifact. The original Diddly is a taxidermied Virginia Opossum that was donated to the Reece Museum by Nat Winston Jr. in 1970. Opossums and string instruments are important cultural icons here in Appalacia, and the Reece Museum strives to elevate Appalacian Art. I tried to stay true to Diddly’s quirks, such as his brown coloration and thin hands, while also stylizing him a bit to appear more cuddly and just a bit more alive.