The Shunned House

Photo by Franck Vervial.

Inspiration: Artists at Work

I recently ran across a Pinterest board which sucked me in more than usual. By that I mean it made me simultaneously want to drop everything and run out into my studio to make cool stuff, and still sit and gaze lovingly at all the beautiful images.

The name of the board is "Pottery Studios," and features a number of different clay artists in their natural habitats. 

I like this board for several different reasons. First, it introduces me to other ceramic artists of whom I may not have heard, and allows me a glimpse into their worlds and their processes. Some are potters, some are sculptors, but all of them worship at the clay altar, just as I do. It makes me feel connected.

Second, I love to see the happiness and contentment on their faces as they're working away in their creative spaces. Again, it connects me to them because it's what I feel when I'm in the groove and making.

Third, I love to see, in the case of the potters, the rows and rows of greenware sitting on shelves, drying out and waiting to get into their first firing. I'm inspired by the pictures of soda or wood kilns, packed to the ceiling with glazed ware and waiting for the magic of the fire to transform them into works of art, into beautiful things for everyday use. 

It doesn't matter which country we come from or which techniques we use; we are all united by our passion for the clay and for making art. It inspires me to know these people are out there, pushing the boundaries of clay in order to leave something behind for others to use and admire.

It makes me happy to be one of them.

300th Follower Giveaway?

There could be one, if I hit 300 followers.

Just sayin'. 

Stuff and Things

It's been quite the week here at the nest! I started my new job last week, but Mr. ShellHawk brought a plague home from his work and I was home sick with it the first few days of this week. Not the first impression I wanted to make, that's for sure. Even so, my new boss was very understanding and grateful I didn't infect her during her busy season. I went in Thursday and Friday, partially because I was feeling marginally better, partially because I just couldn't be away from a brand new job, and partly because I couldn't stand one more day of sitting on the couch, watching TV!

Scare LA just announced pre-event ticket sales start Monday, with the first hour of sales to be marked down up to 75%! So if you're interested in going, you might want to look into that right away. Click here for details and to be added to their mailing list to be notified of when the sale starts.

In the studio, I just opened the kiln today to discover---everything was perfect! No shivering, no unwanted crackling, no bubbles! Since a few of the pieces are gifts to be given tonight, I won't post pics right now, but I will be, soon. Nothing like seeing gifts turn out exactly the way you wanted them!

If things go as planned, this could be a new product line I can make for "the rest of the year," i.e., not Halloween. My new job is going to allow me to pay someone to help with doing some of the tasks which are time-consuming and take me away from the "making" part. The more time I can spend in the studio, getting that done, the better. Ultimately, I would like to make enough through my sales to quit the job, but that's a ways off, yet. In the meantime, I'm grateful to have it, and to work with some very nice people!

And if you missed it, Hauntcast has a new episode out, and all past episodes are free for download. But be cool, and see if you can throw a few bones our way, even if it's only $5. 

After all, even the great Pumpkinrot listens to Hauntcast! :D

Bridge to Safety

An opening in the trees now cheered him with the hopes that the church bridge was at hand. The wavering reflection of a silver star in the bosom of the brook told him that he was not mistaken. He saw the walls of the church dimly glaring under the trees beyond. He recollected the place where Brom Bones's ghostly competitor had disappeared. "If I can but reach that bridge," thought Ichabod, "I am safe." Just then he heard the black steed panting and blowing close behind him; he even fancied that he felt his hot breath. Another convulsive kick in the ribs, and old Gunpowder sprang upon the bridge; he thundered over the resounding planks; he gained the opposite side; and now Ichabod cast a look behind to see if his pursuer should vanish, according to rule, in a flash of fire and brimstone. Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and in the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash,—he was tumbled headlong into the dust, and Gunpowder, the black steed, and the goblin rider, passed by like a whirlwind.

-Washington Irving

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Image source here.

Bridge

"A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere. Some say that the place was bewitched by a High German doctor, during the early days of the settlement; others, that an old Indian chief, the prophet or wizard of his tribe, held his powwows there before the country was discovered by Master Hendrick Hudson. Certain it is, the place still continues under the sway of some witching power, that holds a spell over the minds of the good people, causing them to walk in a continual reverie. They are given to all kinds of marvellous beliefs, are subject to trances and visions, and frequently see strange sights, and hear music and voices in the air. The whole neighborhood abounds with local tales, haunted spots, and twilight superstitions; stars shoot and meteors glare oftener across the valley than in any other part of the country, and the nightmare, with her whole ninefold, seems to make it the favorite scene of her gambols."

-Washington Irving

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Photo source here.

Hauntcast 61-Post Mortem, "Re-animated"

It's here, just in time for Friday the 13th! A new episode of Hauntcast, just when you thought it was safe to enter the podisphere, again!

In this episode:

HAUNTING GURU INTERVIEW:
We’ll crack open a few Canadian beers with Chris Arnott and shine some light on Dunnet’s Dark Lair.

MARKETING MORGUE:
13 Ways to re-animate your haunt advertising and marketing

SOMETHING WICKED:

Ed wraps his tentacles around adding some Lovecraftian touches to your haunt.

SHOCKTAILS:Johnny Thunder and Chris re-open the Last Bar on the Left to blather about putrid prints, The Walking Dead and to review “The Guest” and “Da sweet blood of Jesus“.

GHOULIE GROOVES:Ground breaking music from The Living Deads.

THE BONE PHONE:JWal, Deoblo and B-Good from Haunter’s Hangout let it all Hangout in the dungeon. 

CHARMED POT:The Mistress of Mayhem showers you with Love…craft.

MAD PROPS:Hauntcast throws a bone to Art Hayes a.k.a. Death Wraith for his lunging dog prop.

PROP SHOP:Denny helps us toughen up our skin with Smooth-On’s newest product, Habitat Black.

NEWS FROM BEYOND:Haunt tradeshow and convention overview.

THEATER OF THE MIND:Revenant ponders the work of horror maestro H.P. Lovecraft and its use in the haunt. It ain’t about tentacles, folks.

And now, Hauntcast is free! You can head over to the site and download all the previous episodes so you can get your haunt on. There's even a button so you can donate and win prizes, so amble over to the dungeon and see what's on the slab!

News From the Nest

You may have noticed how scarce I've been lately. Or not, because I'm not really all that interesting! ;)

The truth is, the new year has brought slightly more than the usual activity. I'm doing a large amount of "grown-up" stuff. Tax season is here, Mr. ShellHawk and I are estate planning, we had two fences blow down in storms which happened a couple of months apart, one of the dogs had to go to the vet. Throw in physical therapy for my shoulder, and follow-up visits to the surgeon, too. I still have to sit down and get a business plan together! 

Oh, and I got a new job, much better paying than the last one, and with people who seem at first blush to be really nice. I start tomorrow. (I may be able to start saving for the hearse I want! W00T!)

And of course, there was a new episode of The Charmed Pot to do for Hauntcast. I'm really looking forward to the new edition of the show. I've been missing everyone's contributions!

So, overall, good things are happening! Hooray!

Universal Rushmore

I caught this on Eric Pigors' Facebook page. A little research revealed that yes, you, too can be the proud owner of a Universal Horror Mount!

Lightning not included.

New Year, New Jacks

I'm slowly getting back into the studio after my surgery, and while I can't share everything I've been up to, I can share this, the first jack-o'-lantern of 2015:

It makes me happy, to start a new year of jack-o'-lanterns! I'm considering changing them up a bit, but for now, just making the same style to start off with is just fine.

It's always great to see that smile appear in the clay.