TheVinylCactus

I love to paint. And DIY. And spend time with geese. That’s me in a nutshell!

But to elaborate a bit more, here is a glimpse into the backstory of TheVinylCactus!

In February of 2018, my husband and I decided to join creative forces to start our own small business and run it out of our home in Southern California. We decided to name it Euphorbia Records (influenced by the Euphorbia Ferox cactus, which has poisonous sap. It’s one of our favorites!). We buy people’s music collections, which consist of records, cassettes, and CD’s. The items are then cleaned up and sold in our online record store. Since we have been getting so many records lately (with most of them in great condition, but there’s also a good chunk of them in not-so-great condition), we ended up with titles that could not be sold in our shop due to their poor quality. Things like major scratches, water damaged sleeves, cracks, warping, you name it. We’ve seen it all.
Well, after some thought AND being the DIY-er that I am, of course I wanted to find ways to repurpose the items we wouldn’t otherwise have a use for! (Because who wants to see old beat up records sitting out at the curb for the trash truck to pick up...? Definitely not me.) And so, my vinyl record coasters were created!

Fast forward to December of 2020, I graduated from the Animal Behavior Institute with a certificate in Wildlife Rehabilitation. I’ve always had a knack for helping animals, and I knew that becoming a rehabber would be a perfect fit for me. I started out volunteering as a keeper for an exotic animal sanctuary and had some really cool experiences during my time there.
Today, I am proud to be a rehab intern at my favorite waterfowl rescue! I am inspired each day by the animals that come into our care, and I am thankful for the opportunities that come along with it.
As you’ll see from the listings in my shop, I am heavily inspired by wildlife. From bees to vultures and everything in between, my photo-realistic paintings have become a big part of my life and I am excited to see what species ends up on my canvas next!

Here at the newly re-vamped Vinyl Cactus shop (now located in the beautiful state of South Carolina!), I am putting together my love for painting, wildlife, and music to give you the best of all 3 worlds. You’ll find a variety of different items, which are all hand crafted by myself (Morgan), with the love and support of my amazing husband. I encourage you to take a look around, and I hope that you enjoy my creations as much as I enjoy making them!