Man with tie, 2011, charcoal, @6x12in.

Untitled, 2011, charcoal, @9x9in.

Saloon showgirls, 2011, charcoal, @9x9in.

Untitled, 2011, charcoal, @7x10in.

Front Door, 2011, oil on panel, 12x12in.

Caramel Apple Day as part of the Countdown to Halloween

I'm taking part in the Countdown to Halloween with my October side blog Caramel Apple Day.


(This nice Vincent Price badge is courtesy Countdown to Halloween.)

I'm posting some work there with more specific Halloweenish imagery, mostly stuff like my B movie work, but from monster and horror and sci fi movies exclusively.  Kind of like my own personal Sir Graves Ghastly gallery. Also, for the first time I'm being a little less coy about my sources, so for the most part you'll know what movies I'm using.  London After Midnight, and Carnival of Souls, so far, plus another film I won't name because it predates Caramel Apple Day.

The name is a play on Triple Apple Day, because caramel apples make me think of fall and Halloween.

Speaking of Carnival of Souls, it's a beautiful film, full of really strong images.  Although it's in the public domain, I've never used it as a source before, because its cult status makes it more recognizable than I'd like.  I like my subjects to be more obscure. But as I looked at this film to find an image to use, I also realized that it's almost too damn pretty for me to use. I like my sources sloppier, grottier. Working from Carnival is like working from an Ingres drawing, so delicate, precise and gorgeous.  It gives me a hard time, but I think I may keep at it because it's so damn good looking--trying to pick an image to use is like suffering from your proverbial embarrassment of riches....

Arms folded, 2011, charcoal, @6x10in.