"Creating
unique Halloween Art
treasures with a vintage flair"
Halloween has been my favorite holiday for
as long as I can remember. For me, it was never about the candy
(although, I do LOVE chocolate), it was all about the costumes and
spooky decorations! It was always so much fun to see people turned into
ghosts, witches, zombies and strange creatures as they roamed the
streets for trick or treat. I couldn't wait to make my costume each
year, and it was never soon enough for me to get out the Halloween
decorations. My favorite was the big jointed skeleton that we hung on
the front door.
During the 1990's, I worked in the antique store that my parents owned. It
was in a big old Victorian house with a wrap around porch.
Each year around Halloween, we filled the porch with cornstalks,
pumpkins, gourds, straw bales, and Halloween items for
sale. Our shop quickly became THE place to go for Halloween decorations.
I
started painting pumpkins with spooky and funny faces to add to the
porch. They sold left and right, and people came back year after year
just to get my painted pumpkins. It wasn't long before I branched
out and started painting Halloween designs on other things. Having
been raised with an appreciation for antiques, I have an affinity for
the vintage images of Halloween past. It
is these images that inspire many of my designs.
I have been a professional artist for more than 15 years. My past
experience covers a broad spectrum - from miniature painting on real
feathers to room size mural painting. I even did tattooing for a little
while!
I enjoy designing jewelry and drawing portraits. I did this pencil
portrait of my son about 6 years ago. He is a bit older now, but every
bit as devilish.
I
started drawing and painting at a young age, and by
the
time I was 11, I was working primarily in oils. The snow scene shown
here is one of my earliest paintings. Back then, landscapes were my
subject matter of choice. I still like to paint landscapes (they are
just a bit darker now).
Chester County, PA is known for its bucolic
scenery. The rolling hills are dotted with old stone barns, split rail
fences and stately shade trees. Nestled in the valleys you will
find meandering streams and quaint little ponds that grace the canvases
of many Chester County artists. My Moonhallow folk art gives the traditional Chester
County landscape a sinister twist.