Halloween Art and Travel

Maren Owens of Mimi's ole Nickel creates whimsical Halloween and Christmas characters overflowing with personality. Each sculpture speaks to her during the creative process, letting her know who they need to be. Her characters run the gamut of emotions. They can range from serene to sassy, or perhaps even grumpy. All are beautifully dressed in antiques and carefully chosen found objects. Maren draws inspiration from folklore, the Victorians, Old World Europe, and everyday people. After studying art in Chicago, Maren shifted from the traditional gallery world to sculpting holiday characters. Whether it's potion-testing witches, vigilante vampires, or mischievous elves, her creations are layered with meaning, humor, and conversation. Her time working at a makeup counter sharpened her understanding of facial anatomy and even inspired her unconventional sculpting tools. "Once I sculpted a face, I just couldn't go back—it's so much fun because the characters start telling me who they want to be." - Maren Mentions: Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween (Marshall, MI): http://www.bewitchingpeddlersofhalloween.com North Penn Holiday Art Show (Lansdale, PA): https://northpennifc.org Vampa Museum (Doylestown, PA): https://www.vampamuseum.com Visit Maren at "Mimi's ole Nickel" on Facebook and @mimisolenickel on Instagram.

Grab your broom and journey to the enchanting world of Kitchen Witches to uncover their cultural significance. Join the movement to revive their popularity. This episode features insights from various creators and collectors, shedding light on their enduring fascination. Thank you to all of our content contributors: Anna Allen, (Aw Shucks Annie Dolls): https://www.facebook.com/awshucksanniedolls and https://www.instagram.com/awshucksanniedolls Jennie Hepler-Takens (My Dearest Witch): http://www.mydearestwitch.com Kris Gurky (Dark Moon Salem): https://www.instagram.com/dark_moon_salem/ Mary Lynn Cudejko (Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween Fan and Owl Collector) Lauren Demers-Windom (Witches for Kitchens): https://www.instagram.com/witchesforkitchens Pat Benedict (Woopitydoo Art): https://www.facebook.com/Woopitydooart and https://www.instagram.com/woopitydooart Rebecca Miller Campbell (Rebecca Miller Campbell Designs): https://millercampbelldesigns.com/ Ryan Knight (The Handmade Knight): https://www.instagram.com/the_handmade_knight/ Stephanie (Stevi) Tiongco (Stevi T Fiber Art): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063437424746 Ter Brazier (Host of the Merman Podcast): https://www.instagram.com/the_merman_podcast Vanessa K. Eccles (Fabled Collective): https://www.fabledcollective.com/ To look at some fun pictures of kitchen witches, visit my Resources page: https://www.halloweenartandtravel.com/p/resources/

Meet Anna Allen, an artist who blends traditional cornhusk craft with her Appalachian heritage. Anna creates cornhusk dolls under the name Aw Shucks Annie Dolls. Her dolls feature vibrant colors with a special focus on witches and the magic of Halloween. She also enjoys creating dolls showing traditional Appalachian clothing and activities. Growing up in Ohio, Anna was surrounded by her creative and self-reliant family. Her childhood includes memories of her grandparents making their own lye soap and family gatherings filled with joyful bluegrass music. Anna collected dolls before she started making her own. One day, along with her mother and a friend, she decided to bring to life her own. She laughs now at how "ugly" her first try was. Through exploration and determination, she grew into the skilled artist she is today. Anna does twist up tradition by putting faces on many of her dolls. She enjoys making witches with two or three heads. She loves knowing that her collectors put their own narratives on the dolls once they adopt them. "... it's an honor and a privilege to share my Appalachian roots and heritage through the creation of my cornhusk dolls." - Anna M. Allen Mentions: Anna singing Moonshine Ridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWXLQw7Gqjk Circleville, Ohio, Pumpkin Show: https://www.pumpkinshow.com/ Halloween in July Market (Circleville, OH): https://pickaway.com/event/halloween-in-july-market-2/ Peggie Kilgore Corn Husk Dolls (Search the internet for pictures) Visit Anna at: https://www.facebook.com/awshucksanniedolls and https://www.instagram.com/awshucksanniedolls/

Meet Iva Wilcox of Iva's Creations, a talented artist who creates vintage style folk art. Iva is well known for her spun cotton. When the muse strikes, she also works in mixed media and watercolors. Her pursuits in music, costuming, cooking, and dance also stand testament to her creative drive. Iva instantly fell in love when she saw spun cotton ornaments for the first time. They invoke the charm of a bygone era and provide limitless opportunities to create many kinds of shapes. Working with cotton is a process of building up, which Iva finds to be more pleasing than carving away matter. She creates intuitively, pulling treasures from her "hoarder's nest." She jokes that she creates out of chaos. Iva has participated in and produced many national-level art shows including All Hallows Art Fest, Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween, and Spirits in Sanford. Her favorite part of doing the shows is interacting with collectors and fellow artists. Seeing collectors take her work home is a compliment and a gift. Her unexplained encounter at a historic bed and breakfast adds a captivating twist to the conversation. She also shares a scary tale from a haunted light house in St. Augustine, FL. While there's no ghosts at her house, she does love to go all out with her home haunt. "Don't lose that childlike wonder. It keeps life interesting and exciting. Everything is full of wonder when you see it through a child's eyes." - Iva Wilcox Mentions: FatChanceBellyDance(R): https://fcbd.com/what-is-fcbdstyle/ Saint Augustine Lighthouse Ghost Tour (St. Augustine, FL): https://www.staugustinelighthouse.org/visit/expand-your-visit Spooky Itinerary: https://www.spookyitinerary.com The Stockade Bed and Breakfast (Baton Rouge, LA): https://thestockade.com/historical-places-which-may-be-haunted-in-south-louisiana Visit Iva online: https://www.ivascreations.com

Meet Deven Blackwell, the creative force behind House of Blackwell, a gathering of her limitless artistic endeavors. Some of her current offerings are spooky decor, tutorials, and patterns. Her diverse set of experience includes graphic design, art, writing, hair styling, and sewing. Deven is especially known for her spooky cornhusk creations. She loves to create phobia-inducing creatures such as bats and spiders. While she learned cornhusk crafting as a child in Texas, her talent remained dormant until 2020. Bored and unable to celebrate Halloween in the traditional way, Deven fashioned a witch out of cornhusks. Soon she was hooked and creating non-traditional works out of an age-old medium. Her mission is to dedicate herself to innovation while honoring traditional techniques. Deven also shares her best costuming tip, why she loves her 100 century-old sewing machine, how costumes are communication tools, and introduces us to her studio assistant, Nugget. "I noticed that a lot of my work has to do with taking old techniques and reapplying them in modern contexts. Sometimes new things are not better. Sometimes older things can be the right fit for people and their needs." - Deven Blackwell Mention: Etsy's Gone Gothic Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/etsysgonegothic Visit Deven online: https://www.thehouseofblackwell.com

Meet paper mâché artist, Jorge de Rojas of HohoHalloween. Halloween has captivated Jorge since childhood and was a key influence in helping him adapt to his new country. His career journey has taken him from make-up and costuming, through a detour in nursing, and then back to art due to a fateful life event. The common thread in Jorge's diverse career is the desire to make people smile. His world includes everything from devilish ornaments to mischievous goblins. His inspirations include 1930s cartoons and his vintage Halloween collection, especially the die cuts. Collectors cannot get enough of his one-of-a-kind creations and reproductions by ESC and Company help expand his reach. This episode is filled with Jorge's light hearted storytelling, his art show adventures, and his vision for a Halloween world. "Halloween is where dreams of childhood and past memories come to life. It culminates with the smile I see on people's faces when they connect with my work. That's the happiest and the most satisfied that I feel" - Jorge de Rojas Mentions All Hallow's Art Fest (Petaluma, CA):https://www.halloweenfolkartsociety.com/about-the-show-1 Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween: http://www.bewitchingpeddlersofhalloween.com ESC and Company reproductions of Jorge's work: https://escandcompany.com/collections/jorge-de-rojas Old Ghosts Odditorium (was in FL, now online): https://www.oldghostsfl.com Over the Garden Wall, Episode Two: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/over_the_garden_wall_2014_2/s01/e02 Wicked Bread Company (Plantation, FL): https://www.wickedbread.com Visit Jorge on social media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hohohalloweenbyjorgederojas Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HohohalloweenbyJorgedeRojas

Stacey Bear, a talented artist and antiques dealer, traces her creative roots back to making dollhouse miniatures as a child. She still has a fondness for creating treasures in a small scale. Her spun cotton ornaments and dolls are highly sought out by collectors. Her work is a fusion of historical techniques and her own innovations. Stacey started collecting cotton ornaments and wanted to learn how to make them herself. There was no internet or instructional book at the time so she experimented and figured it out. Her creations are born inside her 1812 farmhouse surrounded by beautiful antiques in Pennsylvania. Stacey's studio is stuffed with stunning antique fabric, tinsel, old buttons, and trims. Sometimes Stacey will have an idea for something to make, but other times, an amazing piece of fabric will speak for itself. Mentions: Susanna Wright: https://wams.nyhistory.org/settler-colonialism-and-revolution/settler-colonialism/susanna-wright/ The Artisans Tent at The Zoar Village (Ohio): https://the-artisans-tent-at-zoar.com/ The DC Big Flea Antiques Market: https://www.thebigfleamarket.com/dc-show Wright's Ferry Mansion: https://www.wrightsferrymansion.org Visit Stacey's website at: https://www.momentosartandantiques.com/

Austin Phillips, a skilled figure maker and expert in ventriloquist dummies, has turned his lifelong passion into a full-time career. His fascination with these mechanical dolls began at the age of five when he received a ventriloquist dummy from Santa. From that moment on, Austin was captivated by the artistry and entertainment value behind these unique creations. As he grew older, he honed his skills in figure making by experimenting with different materials and his dad's power tools. Austin's dedication to his craft led him to seek out renowned figure makers, learning directly from them and gaining invaluable insights into the art form. Today, Austin not only creates one-of-a-kind ventriloquist dummies, but also restores historical treasurers including puppets and figures from coin operated games. His attention to detail and commitment to authenticity make him highly sought out by both collectors and performers around the world. Austin has performed as a ventriloquist since childhood and most recently headlined in a spooky Victorian show filled with tricks and illusions. In addition to his figure collection, his studio in Maine is filled with his stunning collection of vintage Halloween decorations. Mentions: Haunted Overload, Lee, New Hampshire: https://hauntedoverload.com Musée Mécanique, San Francisco: https://museemecanique.com Vent Haven International Ventriloquist Convention, Fort Mitchell, Kentucky: https://vhconvention.com Vent Haven Museum (world's only ventriloquist museum), Fort Mitchell, Kentucky: https://www.venthaven.org Visit Austin's web site at: https://www.phillipspuppets.com

North Carolina glass artist, Sarah Band, is inspired by science, anatomy, and creepy stuff. As a sculpture major at San Francisco State, her ambition to create a large kaleidoscope led her to her first encounter with glass. Sarah was hooked as soon as she saw someone blow out molten material. In a craft medium like glass, the blower needs a strong understanding of chemistry. Sarah explains the process of using different metal oxides to create various glass colors. She also highlights the intersection of science and art in her work, drawing inspiration from scientific discoveries and her upbringing in a family of physicists. Both science and art begin with observation and the desire to learn about the world. Sarah does two types of glass blowing: furnace and flameworking. The furnace glass is the traditional Venetian style with long metal pipes and a big hot furnace. Flameworking is the process of bending tubes of glass over a flame. The more skill a glassblower has, the thinner they can blow out the glass and the more colors they can use. Colors are challenging because they heat up at different rates. There are no breaks when creating a glass work of art; the artist is constantly reheating and turning the glass so it doesn't explode. Visit Sarah's web site at: https://www.sarahaband.com/ Mentions: · Cat Viera (@catvierapottery), teacher at the North Carolina Pottery Center (Seagrove, NC): https://ncpotterycenter.org · Sawtooth School for Visual Arts (Winston-Salem, NC): https://www.sawtooth.org · Starworks Gallery/Studio (Star, NC): https://www.starworksnc.org

Stephanie Hodge's journey into running an online shopping experience, Holiday Pizzazz, began with the simple desire to help collectors find their dream pieces. She experienced the supply and demand dilemma in collecting and decided to help fill the gap. She is motivated by driving availability of products for collectors and showing artists that their skills and talents are appreciated. Holiday Pizzazz carries artist reproduction pieces for all the popular holidays in the US, including a full selection of Halloween. In this episode, Stephanie shares the fascinating processes of how artists get their reproductions to market. She highlights key players including Bethany Lowe, ESC, and Magenta. Stephanie has connected with many artists over her years of collecting. From Johanna Parker to David Everett, she's found artists that put their hearts into their pieces. She deeply understands the importance of positive feedback and appreciation for the artists we collect and love. Show your support for artists by commenting on their posts and reaching out to manufacturers to express interest for the artists they collaborate with. This episode includes tips for creating beautiful displays, current trends, and how to protect yourself from copycats in the industry. Visit Holiday Pizzazz's website to explore their online shopping experience for holiday home décor: https://holidaypizzazz.com/ Contact these vendors to encourage them to keep bringing us pieces from our favorite artists: Bethany Lowe: https://bethanylowe.com/pages/contact ESC: https://escandcompany.com/pages/contact Magenta: https://www.magenta-inc.com/pages/contact-us

Shrink down and enter into the fantasy world of Michael Robbin's Halloween themed miniatures. From humble beginnings collecting Polly Pockets, hear how a retiring artist's gift becomes the catalyst for his artistic journey. Michael's passion will inspire and delight you. Michael envisions his miniatures living in a friendly, storybook-like world where pumpkins, witches, and other magical creatures reside in harmony. He discusses the importance of facial expressions and storytelling in his work. Michael laughs that he'll put a face on anything. In this episode you'll learn tips for starting your own collection, how being on a design challenge TV show impacts his work, the difference between UK and US collectors, where he loves to spend spooky season, and so much more. Michael encourages artists to be adventurous and step out of their comfort zones to create something unique and unexpected. Check out Michael's work at: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRMiniatures https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MichaelRMiniatures https://www.instagram.com/michaelrminiatures/ https://youtu.be/UuwiQmuTjR4 (clip from The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge, look for the double basin by Michael) Find him at these shows: Good Sam Showcase of Miniatures (San Jose, CA, October): https://www.goodsamshowcase.org/ London Dollshouse Showcase (London, December): https://dollshouseshowcase.com/ Miniatura (Birmingham, UK, Fall): https://miniatura.co.uk/next-show/ Tom Bishop Show (April, Chicago): https://www.bishopshow.com/ Enjoy these shops while visiting York, UK: https://www.yorkghostmerchants.com/ https://yorkshiresoap.co.uk/imaginarium

Enter the fantasy world of Paul Haigh, a chemist turned potter, who creates weird stuff for weird people. His work is a blend of his fascination with horror, mythology, science fiction, and games like Dungeons and Dragons. Ultimately, Paul sees his work as an escape from the real world. Paul is known for his face jugs, which are wheel-turned jugs with faces stuck on them. Traditionally, the faces are abstract or even cartoonish, but Paul enjoys making his look realistic. Originally face jugs were made by enslaved people in the American South. There are many theories on the original purposes of face jugs, ranging from religious practices to grave markers. It is common for the expressions and features on face jugs to be scary. The creepy faces may have been designed to scare off evil spirits or to keep children from consuming booze stored inside. This type of pottery fell out of favor in the 1920s but was later revitalized by potters to sell to tourists. Sculpting realistic human faces is a challenge. Our brains are specialized in recognizing human faces and we can easily spot mistakes. It took years of practice for Paul to be satisfied with his work. There's a lot of broken pottery from when he was still learning. Paul enjoys interacting with collectors at art shows. He loves that a significant portion of his collectors are women over 60. With their wisdom and confidence, they no longer care what others think of them and they collect what they want. Paul lives in central North Carolina, near Seagrove, the pottery capital of the United States. Highway 705, which runs through the region, is nicknamed the Pottery Highway. Paul was a potter prior to moving to NC from New Hampshire. One of the highlights of creating pottery in NH was his wood firing kiln, made from 30,000 pounds of brick with a 15-foot chimney. Mentions: Carolina Pottery Festival (Shelby, NC in November): http://www.ccartscouncil.org/carolinapottery/ Catawba Valley Pottery Festival (Hickory, NC in March): https://catawbavalleypotteryfestival.com/ Holly Arts Festival (Pinehurst, NC in October): https://www.homeofgolf.com/events/ League of NH Craftsmen Fair (Concord, NH in August): https://nhcrafts.org/annual-craftsmens-fair/ Ryan "Humanburger" Jones: https://ryanjonesartwork.bigcartel.com/ RVA Krampus (Richmond, VA in December): http://www.rvakrampus.com/ Star Works NC: https://www.starworksnc.org/ Check out Paul's work at: https://www.whmudworks.com/ https://m.facebook.com/Wiley-Hill-Mudworks-108145139230652 https://www.instagram.com/paul_haigh_pottery

Artist Danielle James (DJ for short), is conjuring up neon lights in her Durham, NC shop. Under the name Hex Neon, she creates custom work, restorations, and teaches classes. Her shop name and logo were inspired by the hex signs on Pennsylvania Dutch barns in Lancaster, PA. DJ studied metalsmithing and jewelry making in art school. As a student, she got the desire to make small wearable neon pieces. This desire took her to a neon company in Atlanta, where she discovered neon is a VIP pass to really cool historic places. She also loves that she can make a big impact in the neon industry since it is so small and it needs more skilled artists. Besides the lack of skilled artists, another contemporary challenge is clients not understanding the difference between LED and neon signs. DJ gives us a good primer so you'll know the difference. Neon workers are called benders, because they bend premade glass tubes. DJ likens it to manipulating spaghetti. Benders skillfully curve the glass, avoiding shrinking the diameter of the tube. Sign colors come from the combination of the gasses pumped inside and glass tinting. Neon work is exciting and dangerous. DJ uses two different types of torches: a crossfire and a ribbon burner. While neon and argon aren't poisonous, some signs do contain the poison mercury. Benders must be knowledgeable of safely protocols for working with electricity to avoid serious injury and death. She gave an overview on the glowing history of neon, from the pioneering French inventor, Georges Claude, to the golden age in the 1950s, to its downfall in the 1980s and 1990s, and the niche renaissance of today. Historically neon has been a secretive art, since some benders only trained family so they weren't risking training future competitors. DJ lives a Halloween lifestyle. She makes at least one Halloween piece of work a year. She worked for many years at a haunted attraction doing set design, make-up, and acting. Her favorite haunt job was being a crowd walker, entertaining patrons as a creepy clown. She collects retro horror posters and loves watching horror movies. DJ closed out the interview by sharing a touching sign restoration she worked on for The Echo Project. This non-profit is transforming a building with a deeply racist past into a civil rights museum. Mentions: Alleson Buchanan, bender: https://www.radiantneon.com/ Eric Franklin, "The Body Electric" art: https://ericfranklin.com/ Frightland Delaware: https://frightland.com/ Hex Signs of Lancaster Country, PA: https://lancasterpa.com/shopping/hex-signs/ Leticia Maldonado (Tiza), bender: https://www.leticiamaldonado.com/ The Echo Project, Rehab Hate: https://www.rehabhate.com/ To learn more about Danielle and her work, visit: https://www.hexneon.com