Trick or Treat!

Doing the happy dance because I got my Toxic Toons Limited Edition Trick or Treat bag this week!

And because the shipping was a bit less, artist Eric Pigors threw in a little something extra!

I can't wait to get it framed and hung up!

Some Treats!

This time of year just gets me all giddy! The weather (even in California) starts to cool a little. The breezes blow leaves down the street. And a few creative types release their wicked creations into the October nights.

I just bought my annual Trick or Treat bag from artist Eric Pigors, of Toxic Toons! I buy one every year, and use them as my purse all October. They come filled with all manner of fun goodies, all drawn by Eric, himself. Creepy cute stuff!

The other thing I absolutely cannot have October without, is the new Halloween at High Noon release. I look for it every year, and when I see it, I go all Jonah Hill!

Decayed is not only a new release, it's their tenth anniversary release! You can find Decayed on iTunes or over at Band Camp, along with their entire catalog.

You can find their blog, also filled with lovely treats, at High Noon Records.

Stay tuned for more goodies!

Scare LA Post Mortem

I got home from Scare LA safely yesterday. Wow, what a great show! The coordinators and the volunteers were truly fantastic, checking up with everyone regularly to make sure everything was going alright and to see if we needed anything. The crowd was good both days, though several of the vendors said it was a little thinner compared to last year.


I had more to sell than I ever have before. Apparently working until I fall asleep at my work (which I did, a couple of times) is a method for putting out a lot of pieces in time for a show! My jacks, predictably, sold very well. So well, I know exactly what I need to get to work on if I'm going to have any to sell at Halloween and Vine or in my ShellHawk's Creations Etsy store!

Just as a side note, it's interesting to see how the fine art side of ceramics has influenced and improved my Hallowe'en-themed ceramics. People very definitely notice the difference in the quality of my work versus the junk you can buy at Wal-Mart, particularly in a venue where it can be picked up and held, turned around and experienced. And very few people who do Hallowe'en conventions are aware my fine art has been seen in international art shows or even at the Crocker Art Museum. They just see quality, and they know how it makes them feel, which is happy! That's the best part: the happy!

I have to tell you, the delighted giggles in my booth as people looked at things made me feel really good. I got a lot of love at Scare LA this weekend, and given that when I overwork myself, I get overtired and down in the dumps, the love was just what I needed. One couple came in and bought a bunch of things, and want to commission a set of plates, so hooray for that!

New BFF Eric Pigors, now the proud owner of one of my jacks!

A number of Hallowe'en artists, blog buddies and haunter pals stopped by the booth to say hello, too! Eric Pigors, whose work I've loved and purchased over the years, popped by to see what it is I do, and I was delighted when he was drawn to one of the jacks I made with one long eye and one smaller one. I'd been given a hard time about this particular face, with people saying he only had one eye and they just weren't sure about it, so Eric's choosing of it was very satisfying! He's a sweetheart, and I'm just tickled he owns one of my creations.

Blog buddy and prop-builder extraordinaire, Dave Lowe.

I was so glad to finally meet Dave Lowe in person! He stopped by to introduce himself late on Sunday, and after years of almost meeting, it was great to see him in the flesh. He bought one of my jacks, too, and stuck around awhile to chitchat with me and my dad. I just felt all giddy and fangirl!

Of course, Ape came, too. A number of his pals stopped by to say hi to him. One person even said, "Didn't he go to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show without you this year?" Ape, it seems, is all grown up, with a life of his own!

 As you would expect, there were monsters galore to be seen. I wish I had more pictures, but my booth was pretty busy all weekend, so I only got a few.

An undead Lucy Westrin bellies up to the bar...

 

Rhode Montijo's booth. Bummed I couldn't meet him, but his wife was lovely and gracious!

My dad, taking in one of the slider shows. Lots of fun!

Such fun! I can't wait until next year!

UPDATE: I got a picture in an article about Scare LA! 

Halloweentown

Rick Baker's Bride giclee print here.

I've been in L.A. for a couple of days now, catching up with the 'rents and failing to connect with old friends (though meeting new ones has been cool!). While running around yesterday I made a stop over at Halloweentown in Burbank to check out the Tribute to Classic Monsters art show.

Holy cow! It's fantastic! All of the artwork done was wonderful, and I was enormously impressed by the amount of artistic talent gathered under one roof.

It turned out I was extra lucky in my timing, as there was a life-size sculpture of the Bride and the Monster, sitting on a settee, in the very front of the store. The artist had sold it, and came to break it down and deliver it to the buyer later that afternoon, so I was happy I showed up in the morning rather than putting the visit off to the afternoon. It was so beautifully done, I swear I expected to see a pulse in their throats!

By the way, I know it was gone by afternoon because I dragged my dad over to see it then!

If you live anywhere near Burbank, and you don't go see this free show, you lose your horror fan card. Forever!

Rick Baker Art Prints? It IS a Merry Christmas!

"In Memory Of" art print, signed, copyright Rick Baker

If you're a fan of Rick Baker and his makeup effects, you may be surprised to know the man can paint, too.

Halloweentown just had an opening for their "Tribute to Classic Monsters" art show (which will be in their Parlour Art Gallery until the end of December), and boy, this kind of event is one of the few things that makes me want to live in Burbank again!

Aside from some of the giants of the dark art world, such as Eric Pigors, Bob Lizarraga, Queenie, and Chet Zar, Rick Baker contributed a number of paintings to the show, some of which are available to purchase as signed giclees!

Unfortunately for me, I have about run out of wall space, and have nowhere to hang something this cool at the moment. I guess I'll need to put an addition on the house...

Well, back to my vacation! See you later!

Happy Almost-Autumn Equinox To ME!

I've been working my tail off, broken a toe and severely sprained an ankle. I deserve presents, dammit!

So I got myself a couple. So there.

First, my now traditional (if you can call two years in a row, "traditional") trick or treat bag from Eric Pigors.

The bag doubles as my purse during this time of year, and it glows in the dark! You seriously can't get much cooler than that. I even got a plastic coffin filled with candy. Noms!

The other gift I got for myself was Montague, one of Ghoul Friday's Little Minions series. He's pictured with what I call "The Bluebird of Unhappiness," part of her Plague Doctor Series from last year (or two years ago. I don't recall.).

"And then she stuffed me in a box! Crazy, right?"

Montague immediately began regaling Blue with stories of their maker and his adventure-filled trip to America. Blue listened patiently before asking Monty if he felt well and when his last checkup was...

When I unpacked Montague (Just call me Monty) and showed him to Mr. ShellHawk, he had two comments:
"Oh, he's kinda cute."
and
"I can't look at him for too long just before I go to bed. I'll have nightmares..."

Nice work, G.F.!

Toxic Toons website.

Ghoul Friday's Etsy store.

Eric Pigors: Rock Star of Dark Art

With the beginning of the best month of the year, I'm so happy to be able to share a little of Eric "Unkle" Pigors with you. Eric has been an artist for a very long while, and has worked with the Walt Disney Company as well as developing his own very distinctive style of critters. 


I first ran across Eric's work at Halloweentown, a large, year-round Halloween shop in Burbank, California. It was a completely different kind of style of art from what I was used to seeing, and I found myself amused at all the funny and twisted creatures Eric has in his books. (If you click on most of the pictures in this post, you'll be taken to the appropriate web pages!)


Here's our little question and answer session:


1) What and whose work made you decide to become an artist?

Wow that’s a tough one. There are so many I can say that influenced me when I was a kid like Dr. Seuss, and B. K. Taylor who drew the ODD RODS stickers.

ED “BIG DADDY “ ROTH, Charles Addams. But I think Mad magazine was what really made me want to become an artist.

There are so many great artists who worked for MAD Magazine, and they all had their own unique styles, like Basil Wolverton, Don Martin, Wally Wood, Bill Elder, Harvey Kurtzman, Al Jaffe. But I guess I would say JACK DAVIS is my biggest art influence.

He drew that great 6 foot tall Frankenstein poster all kids had, and he also worked for MAD, and he did the, “YOU’LL DIE LAUGHING” monster cards. 

2) When did you start getting interested in monsters and what caught your imagination about them?

As a kid I loved PLOP Comics, which was a funny spooky take on TALES FROM THE CRYPT comics, but more like MAD.

It was also drawn by a lot of the MAD artists and the Jack Davis “You’ll Die Laughing” cards. I looooved the PLANET OF THE APES Film, and I even stole change off my dad’s dresser one day and flagged down the ice cream man, handed him my hand full of change and said, “Give me all the PLANET OF THE APES Cards this money will buy!”

He handed a case and a half over to me, and right then I knew I was in trouble.

For some reason I hid them by my dad’s lawn mower thinking no one will find them here. Well they did and they threw them all in the trash after they found out how I got them. I like to tell my mom how much I could get for them now. HAHAHA!

I also loved Walt Disney’s spooky sound fx record and their cartoons like SLEEPY HOLLOW, and Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride. I have been part of the past two “TRIBUTE TO THE HAUNTED MANSION” art shows at HALLOWEENTOWN in Burbank, California. I have a really special deal on my HAUNTED MANSION PRINTS SET on my website right now.

3) Who are your artistic influences today?

I really love KAZ’S art he draws the strip THE UNDERWORLDI also like XNO, PIZZ, Shawn  Dickenson, to name a few. There are a lot more!

4) How did your Monsterpieces App come about?

Well , I worked at WALT DISNEY FEATURE ANIMATION from 1987 to 2002 on all the hand drawn films like Lion King, Tarzan, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and while I was working there I met MARGIE DANIELS. She hired me to work with her on the character CHARLOTTE on THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG film two years ago. Well, Margie’s husband, ERIC DANIELS, also works there and does a lot of the computer stuff. Like on TREASURE PLANET I drew SILVER, and ERIC was in charge of all the computer stuff that was attached to SILVER.

Well about 4 months ago I was working with Margie again on free lance Kung Fu Panda stuff, and she asked if I would want to do an App of my stuff with her husband.

I saw what ERIC did as a test and LOVED IT!  And after that he told me what I needed to give him art wise, and then he put it all together, and did an excellent job!

If you don’t have my Monsterpieces App yet, it’s a must, and for only $2.99 you can make monsters using my creepy artwork here. 

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monsterpieces/id447487954?ls=3D1&mt=3D8
[By the way, Eric is giving away the Monsterpieces app for free for the next few days, or maybe until Sunday... So head on over!]

 5) After your heart attack, you were gracious enough to share your experience with your fans. Can you share any insights you may have about your experience? (And how tired are you of being asked about this, anyway? :oD) What changes have you made because of it?

The thing I get asked most is, “HOW ARE YOU FEELING?” Which I know people are curious, but it also kind keeps reminding me of it, which kind of sucks.

Some days I get pretty freaked out when I think how lucky I am to have a second chance. I have changed my diet and started to exercise more.

Since Christmas I was eating FRITOS like a fiend, and I don’t eat that kind of stuff at all anymore! 

Now I hear a song and think how great music is, and it almost sounds different to me. But I also think, “How many more times will I get to hear that song, or watch a favorite film, or kiss my lovely wife?!”

6) We grew up in an era of what's now considered "old-school" animation, and you've done your fair share over the years. What do you think about old-school vs. computer animation?

I personally love traditional hand drawn films and I always will. For me they just seem a lot more artistic because I know how hard it is to draw them, plus they aren’t as busy-looking as cg films. CG Films look to sterile and way too busy for me.

I look at the old animated short cartoons that Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, the Fleischer Brothers and Disney did and think cartoons will never be that good again, even as good as technology is now. It was just an awesome period of artistic American history that shouldn’t be forgotten.

7) What's the coolest experience you've had as a result of being an artist? In other words, is there a project you've done or a person whom you've met because of your particular style that you wouldn't have done or met otherwise?

Man I am so lucky and have had lots!

I mean working at WALT DISNEY was a dream come true! And getting a character I designed there named PIGORS on TREASURE PLANET was pretty cool. I also sold them an original idea that never got made yet called, “SILLY HILLBILLIES ON MARS.”

I had Toys made of my Toxictoons art at Mezco toys.

Had JAMES & KIRK of METALLICA call my house and tell me they both dug my art, and then I saw James wearing one of my shirts on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine with OZZY & Marilyn Manson. I then got to do a shirt for their St Anger tour and met them and I was asked by James to maybe do an animated video to a song {never got made}.

I did character designs on the “ED EDD AND EDDY HALLOWEEN BOO HAW HAW Special” that plays at Halloween every year on CARTOON NETWORK.

And now I have Monster Masks based on my Toxictoons characters thru TRICK OR TREAT STUDIOS.

And just doing my own Toxictoons art and merch line has been awesome!

8) Like those reading, you're a fan of Halloween. Do you build props like the bulk of us do, or--what do you do for Halloween? How do you decorate? If you do build props, what's your preferred media?

I like to buy masks and stuff and then just make dummies and deck out my mom’s garage all spooky. I did my 1st haunted house in her garage when I was maybe 13. It was pretty lame, but I caught the bug from a previous year of TRICK OR TREATING and seeing stuff other people in her neighborhood did at their houses.

I like to give the TRICK OR TREATERS something spooky to remember at Halloween!

9) What's playing on your iPod, and what's your guilty pleasure song that no one would ever think is on Eric Pigors's media player? (It's Barry Manilow, right?)

I listen to mostly 70s rock, metal, punk, oldies, goth, industrial music, besides old HALLOWEEN records, which are my favorite.

My guilty pleasure song?

LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S “What a Wonderful World.” I think it’s one of the best songs ever recorded. Makes me have hope for humanity. I love both MINISTRY’s and Joey Ramone’s versions of this song also. All these 3 versions will be played at my Funeral.

10) I've been sitting and listening to those fantastic CDs I got when I bought your Trick or Treat bag and new book with this idiot grin on my face, because they're so fantastic and retro. Where on earth did you find such fantastic Hallowe'en offerings?

Someone gave me a cd with a bunch [of songs] and I just made mixes over the past years. I have enough for maybe 2 more years. In October, I'm selling the first five cds for only $20 for 'em all, plus I'll do some art giveaways.


O.k., I'm so going to keep an eye out for those October art giveaways!


Thanks, Eric for your time and your very gracious responses! I love the treats I got from you and will be the envy of everyone this year with my new trick of treat bag!


Rock on!

Get Well, Unkle Pigors!

Eric "Unkle" Pigors suffered a heart attack this week. He was due to attend the Second Annual Haunted Mansion group art show at Halloweentown in Bubank, California, this Saturday, but the doctor gave him the thumbs-down and he won't be able to attend.

If you're in the area, pop by the store. Here's the news from Halloweentown:

Aside from helping Eric out by purchasing his exhibit artwork, you can also participate in a raffle promotion at the opening night event to help him cover his medical bills.

For every Toxictoons print, shirt, book, or mask that you buy at the event you will get a raffle ticket making you eligible to win a $100 Gift certificate for Halloween Town!
The raffle will be held at the end of the event Saturday night, you must be present during the raffle to win.
We will also have a donation jar up front at the register, and you can also drop off any get well cards or any goodies for Eric and we will make sure he gets them!

Thanks for your support!

HALLOWEENTOWN
2921 W. Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505

I'm pretty sure that even if you can't make it, you could probably call up the store and order something of his to help him out. You can also head over to the Toxictoons store online and pick something out for yourself.

Get well soon, Eric! We're all glad you made it through!