92 days till Halloween!!!

Of course you'll find me in my studio, working on the latest ghoulish offering!

Which brings back fond memories of the Halloween season of 2008, when I worked weekends at Death Row Sanitarium of Slaughter in Nashville! I was the ravenously raving 'Nurse Valium,' in the spooky Medical Atrocities laboratory. 

Chasing people down with a large live power drill, howling like a maniac and spewing blood and making full-grown men cry and scream in mortal fear and run from me ... 
Ah, yes, I'll admit, it was the most fun I'd had in years...
MUA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Open Hearted Offerings (an original sculpture) plus some great news!

It felt so good to be back home again, working in my studio! 

While it was nice having a two-week break as we were on our little road trip, I missed being creative, and once home, finished up this latest  delight, ha ha. 

I call it, "Open-Hearted Offerings." The heart is an original polymer clay sculpture, sutured with heavy nylon thread. An old baby doll head was painted and crackled, with lacy collar and tiny bow tie with a polymer clay micro-skull at its center.

 

The doll's eyes feature one of my fun trademarks - they glow in the dark! My husband says this is a very creepy piece. I think it's rather cute myself, in a sort of horrorific way.

Okay. So my good news spilleth over: I'm going to be part of a big, first-of-its-kind art show here in Nashville! It is the brainchild of myself and a good friend, another artist who also creates horror-themed pieces. I'll post fully about it in the weeks to come. I am so excited about it! 

Our Wild West tour grinds to a halt...

What a long strange trip it was!

Two full weeks of driving with my dear Hubby across the country, visiting seven states (fell in love with New Mexico!), staying at a famous haunted hotel (the Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona!), spending time with family (his Mom's 80th birthday party!), and then turning around to come back home to Tennessee. Over 4000+ miles in all!

The breathtaking view from 5400 feet up the mountain
at the Asylum restaurant, located in the Jerome Grand Hotel

The scenery was breathtaking all over. Last time I drove that particular route (the old Route 66 and I-40) was quite some time ago, when I was a wee girlie of eight years of age. Of course, you realize I took a few photos - a little more than 1,000 photos on both my camera and cell phone. 

Now the real work begins, downloading and re-sizing them in order to post a few, then to my long-neglected other blog (The Quirk Shop) to write about this marvelous journey back out to my homeland of the wild west.

But first, of course, here are a few that are too good not to share!

The haunted Jerome Grand Hotel, where we stayed the night (and lived to tell!)

Nighttime view of the front entrance of the hotel

The Jerome Grand Hotel, located in the old 1800s-era copper mining town of Jerome, Arizona, has a very interesting background. Originally built as a hospital/asylum for the miners, it closed in the 1950s and remained that way for almost sixty years until being bought and renovated as a hotel. The elevator is only the second one ever made by the Otis Elevator company that is still in operation! It is creepy, ancient, and a bit rickety, with two doors you have to open and close manually. Learning that a maintenance man died in it gave me butterflies in my stomach.

The entire property has been kept at a 'period' motif, a kind of early 1900s post-Victorian decor. The resident restaurant, called 'The Asylum' (originally the hospital's actual infirmary) had a very glamorous, 'elegant 30s feel to it. We had cocktails and a world-class meal at a window table, where we could lean on the vintage wrought iron rail and gaze across the entire Verdant Valley below us. It was heavenly!

Doorway entrance to the Asylum restaurant

Just inside the doorway to the restaurant. Loved this old sofa!

As for the hallways... well, they reminded me of "The Shining," painted a sort of soft yet eerie green that gave off a very odd feeling. There was one door in particular, up on the 3rd floor, that had a large chunk taken out of it, as if someone had once tried to open it with a hatchet. Okay, visions of Jack Nicholson busting through, screaming "Here's Johnny!" did cross my mind!
But, to be honest, overall, I found the whole place quite charming... though a bit unnerving.

The 3rd floor hallway

The side entrance, featuring the Asylum restaurant, where we had a fantastic dinner

And yes, the place is haunted! It has been featured on several paranormal shows including 'Ghost Adventures.' However, I did not see a thing or feel much other than a slight case of dizziness as I walked down the hallway to our room (and my husband Mark felt the same thing too). Only questionable photo I took was of the vintage 1927 Rolls Royce Phantom housed in the garage: a slight "mist" of sorts is visible. The former owner? Hmm, perhaps! But Mark and I slept quite well that night, and were actually very sad to have to leave the following morning. 

We did get a chance to eat lunch at a place we'd heard a lot about: the Haunted Hamburger, just down the bend from the hotel. Yummy! And yes, we brought along a plastic 'roaming skull' (his name is Bertram Oswald Ness) and posed him in many different places and situations along our trip. He absolutely loved Haunted Hamburger!

"I'll have the deviled eggs, please"

I will say that it was wonderful to be back in the West again, and we will absolutely return to Jerome one day. We explored the whole town below, which has retained its old wild west look and feel. 

A full write up with tons of photos to be posted on The Quirk Shop in the days to come, so be looking for it! 

See, not so scary in the bright daylight, is it?
Bertram (our skull friend, in front of the door) loved this place!

Happy Birthday!!!

Fred Gwynne - July 10, 1926 - July 2, 1993

An icon from my childhood was "Herman Munster" - played by Fred Gwynne. 

In spite of his less than glamorous looks (well, that's debatable, I thought he was rather charming!) he was the absolute embodiment of what an adult should be: he was kind, patient, good-natured, hardworking, and unendingly loving to his wife and family.

And - a trait that I would consider most important: he was never, ever out of touch with his inner child! 

Mini Millie

I realize that this is really not a Halloween art piece, per se, but I had to share it because it was so much fun to make, and it made somebody I love dearly very happy.

Sometimes when I'm in my studio, I'll hold a piece of polymer clay in my hands, and without any 'plan' to create anything, will just start to manipulate it and let my imagination take me wherever it's supposed to go. In this case, that turned out to be a tiny model of my best friend's cat, Millie! 

Mini Millie, just before being shipped to CA

Millie is a beautiful Persian cat, with lustrous tawny fur and big pumpkin orange eyes. She's the beloved fur baby of my best friend Debby in North Hollywood, California. I knew Debby's birthday was coming up in a few weeks, so after I painted Mini Millie, I decorated her with a big red rose and fancy ribbon collar, including a hand-sewn velvet pillow for her to sit on, and mailed it out to her in a big box full of assorted birthday goodies (which I love doing!). Debby reported back to me her joy at finding this surprise, and said that  her kitty Millie loves her mini counterpart. 

Yay! I am so thrilled to hear this, and submit these cute photos as evidence.

Millie ponders her mini self. 'Hmm, what ever is this tiny effigy of my regal Self?'

'Ooh! The resemblance to my beauteous Self is striking! I approve!'

'Mini me, I love you!' 

Happy birthday, dear Debby! I love you! See you soon!

Rustic dreams and cool autumn nights ...

Not only do I love the horror and spooky side of Halloween,  I'm also a huge fan of the more rustic, vintage style as well. It takes me back in a time machine, where the doors to that vast storehouse of wonderful memories are thrown wide open: that of being a youngster again, growing up in the '60s in small town suburbia California, and discovering all the amazing things life had to offer.

There were days in the late summer when you would just know that the weather was about to shift. You could feel a very slight change in how the blazing desert heat of the sun felt against your skin. Summertime in southern California would always be long and hot as a furnace blast, but then gradually, the days would creep ever-so-slowly on toward early autumn, which first meant a return to school. That was okay, as the days felt a little bit less scorching, and the nights felt just a tad cooler. Sunsets would take on hues of oranges and purples as the inky twilight encroached. And, as the calendar continued to wind down, we all knew what was drawing near at summer's end... 

It would soon be Halloween!

"Sweet Surprise" by Wesley Dallas Merritt
http://wesleydallasmerritt.deviantart.com

Mom would take the box of decorations out from the big den closet, dust it off, and crack open through the multiple layers of ancient crumbling tape that barely held it closed. What followed next was pure bliss, as out came the sacred, magical cardboard that my little brother and I lived all year long to see: the colorful, realistic life-sized skeleton (and a super-neato one at that, with movable joints and jaw!), the witches, the black cats, and of course, the smiling scarecrow astride the expandable crinkly orange tissue paper pumpkin that we un-accordionized onto the table, which was then placed in the kitchen window for all neighborhood kids to see. Mr. Skeleton was always delegated to his sentry point - that being, taped securely to the front door, his long bony arms and legs askew in different directions in a Halloween jig of joy. The black cats and witches were also placed on the front door, surrounding Mr. Skelly.

Of course, probably the most important elements needed (besides abundant candy for trick or treaters) were pumpkins... yes, Jack O'Lanterns! Those had to be carved and with candles inside, ready to illuminate the front porch on All Hallows Eve! With our smiling Mom and Dad sitting nearby, supervising us at the kitchen table (which was covered in old newspapers), me and my little brother would be presented with a fat pumpkin each. We'd happily de-gut and then carve out the scariest faces we could dream up, in an effort to beat one another. (Funny, how it was always a 'tie' according to our very wise parents!) 

Saving much of the seeds, Mom would put them on a sheet of tin foil, sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper, and then toast them in the oven. They never lasted long in our house. Yummy stuff indeed!

And, sadly, as we all know, that night of magic and fun and love passes by in a flash. 
The next day, everything seems a little less bright, a touch less joyous. Sure, more holidays are to come, with lots more love and sharing of food, family and laughter; but the Samhain magic is spent and then it's as if everything must hibernate again for another 364 days. Leaves turn color and grow brittle, falling from the trees and scattering in the hot, dry Santa Ana winds as they howl across the valley like the cracking of a whip, taking the last few bright sparkles of autumn away.

My memories of this most beloved and sacred time in my young life remain intact, yet grow just a tiny bit more sepia-toned with each passing year in the cobwebs of my mind. But thankfully, what always stays vivid are the main colors that I love so dearly. 

The orange, and the black.

"Orange and Black" by Ellie Gee

Polymer pumpkins and vines

Wood blocks and base

Acrylic paints

Get ready ...

Had to share this! 
I love the take on the Game of Thrones "Winter Is Coming."

It's really not just a state of mind!

The two wailing Ghostie Pumpkins, rising from the grave, tell it like it is!

They are crafted from a styrofoam base, covered in several layers of papier mache & paper clay, and painted/sealed with acrylics. 
Deep inside they each have a heart of stone - literally, an embedded river rock is what keeps them balanced upright. 
The Ghostie Pumpkins stand at approximately 8" (left one) and 9" (right one).

"Spooky - Not just a state of mind, y'all" is a festive Halloween sign of wooden block, hand-painted ghoulishly green and black, and sealed. Has a hook on back so it can be hung on any wall - kitchen, dungeon, you name it!

Only 140 days till Halloween!

*** Introducing: Grimzelda! ***

"When the cat's away, the mice will play!"

There are those whom we know to gravitate toward, as we sense their inner love, kindness and beauty.

Grimzelda is NOT one of those people.

In fact, you'd be wise to steer clear of this mean old witch. She's a real doozy!

Poor Wee Mousey was unwise to venture into her pantry. He couldn't be blamed, really, it was quite cold outside and he just wanted to warm his tiny feet. Well, ok, and mayhaps grab a stray crumb off her floor.

Grimzelda did not take kindly to his intrusion! Her withered old black heart has no room for charity nor compassion for such a minute creature's comfort. And if you think Wee Mousey is in trouble, just wait till her raggedy old cat comes back, for he'll be taken to task for not catching the intruder first...

Grimzelda is a one of a kind sculpture. She is crafted from polymer clay (her head, hands, feet) and secured on a styrofoam body, which has been covered in paper clay, then painted & sealed with a variety of high-quality acrylic paints.

Her hair is synthetic wig hair, individually and painstakingly applied, giving the appearance of a frazzled witch's fright wig of black and grey.

Grimzelda's costume is hand-stitched from various fabrics, including rayon, cotton, and satin. 

Her shoes are faux leather, fastened with cotton twine laces.
She stands approximately 14 inches tall.

Wee Mousey is created completely from polymer clay, painted and sealed, with a wool fiber application for his tail.

I keep tweaking things on this piece - namely, tightening the bodice/dress around her so her shape is more defined. Was not sure I liked her over-cape as loose and billowy as it was, it looked too shapeless and made her look sloppy. 

She may be an evil b*tch, but I still wanted her to have at least some glamour! 

Even though I've been sick with a rotten summer cold, I had a blast creating her, and channeled all my favorite female baddies, including Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, with some vintage Gloria Swanson/Norma Desmond thrown in for good measure. I'm sure there is some parallel to a Disney villainess there as well - a gleeful conglomeration of evil queens galore, all mixed up with vitriol and venom!

Grimzelda will be a part of a larger scene/diorama currently under construction. 

Once that is completed I'll return with some photos of the entire piece ... plus some really BIG news to share that I'm very excited about. 

Nope, ain't gonna say anything just yet; you'll have to come back periodically and see, hee hee!

Oh and by the way - it's only 147 days till Halloween!

WIP update - Crazed Snarling Mousecatcher on the loose!

Just a sneak-peek ... she scares me but I like how she's coming to life. 

Poor wee mousey looks worried! (No mice were harmed in the making of this sculpture)

WIP: Ghostie Pumpkins

AaahhhhhooooooOOOOHHHH! (that was a baleful moan, not me sneezing)

Work in progress of the two ghostie pumpkins rising from the grave. 
Freshly gesso'd and awaiting next round of paint. 

She's flipped her wig, folks!

Har! You thought I was talking about myself, weren't ya.
(Well, ok, I'll admit, you were partly correct)

I'm always trying to better my talents, and one of the things I am still learning to do is to create realistic hair (wigs) for my characters. Watched a gazillion Youtube tutorials on doll wigs. Some much better than others - many just absolutely crap and a waste of time. 

Finally settled on a very simple and relatively easy way to create one: pulling a layer of plastic cling wrap (like Saran wrap) over the head of the doll, securing with rubber bands so it won't slip; then drawing a scalp line around it, and coating the plastic with many layers of Modge Podge. I have literally dozens of old Halloween wigs laying around, so one of them had to give up the ghost and get reincarnated as a dolly wig. Then taking small tufts, saturating the ends in more glue, and sticking onto the 'scalp.' Let dry a bit, then repeat until the entire head is filled with a luxurious mane. 

A pointy widow's peak she shall have!

All yesterday afternoon was devoted to creating this head of hair for my 'Grimace' character. Today I cut around it, and will adhere it to the character's head. Painstaking, indeed! - but oy vey, what a sense of accomplishment I'm feeling deep in me gutty-wuts. Definitely not something you'd want to do if you are short on patience, so beware.

Freshly frazzled coiffure du jour!

Also working on the custom Jack O'Lantern order for my Etsy customer. 

Being bizzy-bizzy is a good thing indeed. 
Why, Halloween is a mere 170 days away!