Little Parker Pumpkin with Bailey Bat

I have finally finished the painting on two new sculptures, and this is one of them, "Parker Pumpkin."  As is normal with many of my figures, Parker has a story.  It seems as though Parker comes with a well-vined pedigree, with his family's seedstock traced back to at least the 1620s, when his ancestors were shared with the settlers of the Plymouth Colony.  Being native to North America, this little fellow's family roots run deep and proud.

Parker learned at an early age the impact his family had on the history of America, and he was raised to uphold the standards of his family tree, uh, I mean vine.  Parker had other ideas, however, after he overheard a group of young pumpkin boys discussing Halloween and all of the mischief and fun of the night.  The other little pumpkin boys shared their love of bats, spiders and bugs, and told him stories of spooky ghosts, witches and ghouls.  Parker decided he wasn't going to become food for the humans; he was going to become a jack-o'-lantern!



After Parker learned that most jack-o'-lanterns were carved and not painted, Parker carefully rethought the idea and decided instead to train Halloween bats.  Over time, what Cesar Millan is to dogs, Parker became to bats... he became known as the "bat whisperer!"

Parker is shown in this sculpture with a bat named Bailey, in his right hand, and uses this well balanced bat to teach other little nocturnal fellows how to get over their fear of jack-o'-lanterns.   After all, you can't have a bat afraid of common everyday Halloween folk. Not to worry, Parker hasn't failed yet with any of his bats, and it is partially due to the talents of Bailey!

Hope you like this silly pumpkin and understand his batty dreams.

Have a creative week!

Laurie

New Painting and Prims

When I first started my own online business one of the characters that I painted was a fellow named "Sir Jack Spinner."  He was named by a dear lady, Mary Henning, who is also one of the best storytellers in our state as well as being a published children's writer.  She took one look at the painting and immediately told me his name was "Sir Jack Spinner", and that he was hosting a Pumpkin Ball.  We talked seriously about doing a children's Halloween book, but Mary had multiple book projects already in the works, I started selling the paintings from that series and got so wrapped up in sculpting I simply moved on and left Sir Jack behind...or so I thought. 

As I was working on small canvases recently "Sir Jack Spinner" would not stay out of my head.  I decided that he obviously wanted to attend the "party" I'm creating for my Ghoultide Gathering table.  Sir Jack came to me transformed from his initial appearance.  He is thinner, his hat less exaggerated,  his spider companion more streamlined, and he is shown under the night sky dressed to attend a Ghoulie event instead of hosting one in his home. 

I'm really having fun with these small canvases and hope to complete a small group for collectors to add to their Halloween groupings.

In other news, I received my copy of "Prims" magazine and a note congratulating me that I have been published!  I am just thrilled that the spring issue of "Prims" displays a triumvirate of my rabbits,  Rudy, Russell and Randolph.   

I am so excited to have these characters in print and to be a part of such a lovely publication.  The magazine also has fellow Ghoultide Gathering artists Pam Gracia (Rachel Lapine), Allen Cunningham (Springtide Queen Anne) and Nicol Sayre included within the pages, along with artists I've met online such as Jo James & Dylan Curry, Diane Duda, Dixie Redmond, Daryle Cook, Nancy Malay, Karin Pender and sweet Colleen Moody!  Don't miss this issue!

Thank you Jennifer and "Prims"!!  To order your copy follow this link

http://www.stampington.com/html/prims_spring11.html

Have a great week all!

Laurie

Painted Halloween Portraits

We have been having some Internet problems and I'm afraid my cute little neighborhood squirrels might be the cause...seems as though they like to chew on wiring that is placed above ground.  No wonder the cable company has buried as much of the cable as they can.  Anyway, sorry for the late post, but I didn't have Internet access.

One of the good things I discovered about not having Internet access was how productive I was without the distraction of running over to the computer to check email or Facebook.  (Maybe those squirrels are a good thing!)   I was able to put the finishing touches on this tiny little pumpkin boy portrait yesterday, which is on a 4" wrap around canvas.  I hope to get a few more done in the upcoming weeks to place on these small black wooden easels I found.  I think they will work nicely with other Halloween collectibles to enhance your arrangements of holiday objects.  Yes, I'm all Halloween already, and happy to be so!

Have a great week and St. Patrick's Day!
Laurie

Going to the Ghoulie Gras

My land, it is March already!  I don't know about you, but as I'm getting older I am noticing that time feels as though it is moving faster, just like my mother use to say to us when we were in our teens.  I remember thinking at the time how silly that comment was because time was time, so how could my mother possibly be experiencing it differently from us, her own children?  Little did I know.  I don't necessarily feel older, or perhaps I should use the term mature, but I definitely am suffering from the feeling that time is moving at warp speed.  Slow it down Scotty, I need to get more work done and those warp engines are going way too fast.  (Yikes, a Star Trek reference!)    

In between worrying about my time dilemma and working on sculpted pieces last week, I was also able to complete a painting from a sketch I have had that is close to two years old, "Going to the Ghoulie Gras".  If we can have Fat Tuesday, (Mardi Gras), the ghouls must have a day of fat as well....even though most ghouls I know are on the lean side.  Actually, I just liked the sound of Ghoulie Gras, even though it doesn't translate well. 

This little pumpkin fellow has a Ghoulie Gras mask in hand, a night scene, bats and graveyard as a backdrop, and a smiling pumpkin companion willing to roll his way across the landscape to attend the festivities.  The painting is 5" x 7", and looks nice mixed in with some of the Halloween characters completed for Ghoultide Gathering. 

Well, I'd better get back to work because tomorrow will be Friday already (not really, but it feels like it.)  Have a great and productive week!

Laurie

Stepping Out Jack

I tried something new in the studio this past weekend with paint.  I have been creating lumina or moon pumpkins (cream colored) for the last several years and I decided to try some golden colors with orange and black to see if I liked the look.  "Stepping Out Jack" is the first pumpkin figure painted in this color palette.  The coloration is similar to several gourd/squash heads I have previously painted, so I'm thinking I still need to go more orange toned on the next piece. 

I am also having lots of fun with the smaller pumpkins I'm adding to the pieces, but realized while looking at this photograph they appear sort of "shrunken head" like when being held by the stem by the seated pumpkin boy.   I swear my smiling pumpkin boys are not head hunters or cannibals...although that did just give me an idea for a new piece!      

Hope you like this new fellow!!

Have a great week!
Laurie