Seasons Greetings From an Unfinished Moon Man

I wanted to have this project finished for Halloween this year, but I've had just too much on my plate. I have not had much time to work on the big guy, but I did have the"bright" idea of decorating his staff and hat with Christmas lights. Har har!

I hope to get back to sanding and painting on the moon man after Christmas, when things slow down a bit.

Happy creating!

New Christmas Stuff

You've probably noticed that my blog has become something of a ghost town, but I'm still here. The truth is, I have been VERY busy creating Christmas art. I have taken quite a few orders, and combined with STJ updates and the day to day grind, my hands have been pretty full.

If you have not been by Spookytime Jingles this month, be sure to do so. My latest piece, "A Potentially Fatal Bath" is still available, along with tons of great artwork by a wide variety of amazing holiday artists.

Check my Etsy page soon for some 'time keeping' snowmen ornaments. You'll see what I mean later!

My First Publication

You can find one of my Santas in the latest edition of Prims, by Stampington.

I never knew how rewarding it would feel to see my work on the pages of a magazine. What an honor!

This came as a bit of a surprise. I thought the article was coming out later, but I'm not disapointed.

Thanks, Meri for the heads up and the scans. Now I just need to get my hands on a few copies.

Tree of Hope - A Project for Breast Cancer Awareness

A while back, my wife, Stephanie, asked me if I would be willing to assist her and her friends in a project they were working on at SFA state university. They had entered a contest of which the main goal is to spread breast cancer awareness.

Both my mom, and my mother-in-law have beaten breast cancer, so it was a no brainer to lend a helping hand.

We wanted to create something that was both informative, and esthetically appealing to the eye. We felt that the more beautiful the display, the more information the viewer would take in. Art creates strong feelings, and strong feelings are needed in the fight against breast cancer.

Part of the competition was to make the display as visible as possible, so arrows were added all throughout the building, leading students and professors to our "Tree of Hope."

The display is located on the third floor of the math building at SFA.

^Sorry for the bad lighting. I'll try to get a better picture later^

Upon closer examination, you will notice the soil is made up of statistics, facts, and knowledge about breast cancer. From this soil of knowledge, a tree, made of many awareness supporters and survivors is born. The trunk and limbs are made of large companies who have made considerable donations. The limbs are bursting with flowering hope; yoplait lids to be turned in for further donations.

I think we have created a meaningful, artful, informative, and beautiful display, for a worthy cause. I am thrilled to have been allowed the opportunity to work on such a project. Thank you all!!

Flicker Brothers Halloween Ornaments

Go to Spookytime Jingles to meet the Flicker brothers, and more.

Also, be sure to check out our special guest artist; you won't believe your eyes!

Andy Griffith Show Viewers' Choice

I was flipping through the channels looking for something to watch while I work, and came across the Andy Griffith show, one of my all time favorites.

TV land is having a viewers' choice marathon for the show's 50th anniversary celebration on October 3rd. I'm not sure how the countdown will pan out, but here are a few that BETTER rank in the top 10:

this is just a few off the top of my head, mind you:

• The Haunted house (don't laugh but this one creeped me out when I was a kid)
• The Loaded Goat
• Dinner at Eight (one of the only good episodes in color)
• The Darlings are Coming
• The Pickle Story

And one of the all time best episodes of any TV series EVER:

drum roll please............................................................

I have to watch this episode at least once every Christmas. For me, it ranks right up there with the Grinch, Charlie Brown, etc. The only difference is that it involves my favorite TV characters, lending a family-like atmosphere.

Now, back to my marathon, and maybe a bit of sculpting!

Hive Creative Challenge - "Sweet Leaves of Autumn"

When Melissa posted this challenge, I was thrilled! A large portion of my work is inspired by autumn , so naturally I was up for the challenge.

The only problem was to create something that would stand out from my other fall inspired pieces.

When I think of autumn, I think of three main things: multicolored leaves, candy corns, and pumpkins. I decided to combine these elements to create something to sum up the season, at least in my eyes.

Flight of the Grumpkin

This Grumpy guy is available now at STJ!

If Creativity is a Car, Music is the Fuel

The question is, what kind of fuel are you using?

I mentioned earlier at the STJ group that I can't seem to get my creative wheels rolling, and a friend suggested listening to some music as a remedy. At this, I decided to fire up the old CD player and get to work. Problem solved.

Here are a few choices that never fail to inspire:

This is easily one of my favorite soundtracks. It's almost impossible to listen to it without feeling the need to create something.

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis are two of my favorite composers. This is a moody, yet whimsical and inspiring score. It's great to pop this one in on a crisp autumn day.

Also composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. This is a dark movie with hints of light, and the music is a perfect reflection. At times this one can be down right creepy, great for spooky inspiration!

Needs no explanation.

My favorite Christmas album, by my favorite band, Jars of Clay. This is one of the most original sounding Christmas albums you will hear, and for me it was an instant classic. If I'm sculpting Christmas, I am likely listing to this CD.

In a nutshell, soundtracks are very inspiring.

So what music inspires you?

Progress on the Moon WIP

The head and the staff were about the only two things ready for paint, and I needed a break from sculpting. I'll do some more sanding tomorrow and hopefully get some paint on his jacket. Not 100 percent sure on what the colors will be, but I have a pretty good idea. Check back for more updates!

Spookytime Jingles updates tonight at 12:00 a.m. As you can see from Marie Patterson's sneak peak, STJ's artists have outdone themselves yet again, so be there!!

I will be offering a very eclectic mix this month; check out the pic in the bottom left of the mosaic to sneak a peak.

Introducing Kip Van Winkle Studios!!

It's always fun making new friends on the internet; especially when they make quality folk art. Kip Ramey has been creating art his entire life, but has just recently decided to take the dive into the internet world of folk art.

Kip's work will soon be available at http://www.etsy.com/shop/kipvanwinklestudios.

Meanwhile, here's a little sample of one of Kip's many styles. Click on the image to get the full story over at Kip's new blog. Be sure to say hi!

Happy Birthday STJ!

It's hard to believe it's already been two years since the launch of Spookytime jingles. STJ's artisons have outdone themselves yet again, with dozens of one of a kind holiday offerings!!

Available now at STJ

Snap, Crackle, Pop!!

Available now at Etsy

Spookytime Jingles, June 13th

Available now at STJ!

Holiday Hootenanny!

Check out STJ on the 13th where the art is always one of a kind and unique. This month we will be celebrating the U.S of A with a Holiday Hootenanny. Of course our Halloween and Christmas staples will be available as well!

Couple of WIPs

Two fun new pieces for STJ begging for some paint.

A few nights ago, we noticed Zero sitting on the back of the couch, staring at this picture. He sat there for at least 10 minutes. I honestly believe he recognized it as a cat!

Trying my Hand in Acrylics, STJ May

For the last few months I've had this blank canvas staring at me, begging to be brought to life. Unfortunately, I don't have much experience in that field. However, I do know what I like to see in an acrylic painting, so there was at least something to go by.

One of my favorite artists stated that there is almost always white space left in his work. I can't remember what he said exactly, but it was something along the lines of "it's ok to leave blank spaces in art, it's not a tax form." I don't like for art to look like a photo, which worked to my advantage.

I decided to be quick and 'sloppy' with this painting, and it was fun. That's what matters the most right!?

Available now at Spookytime Jingles

Snowman WIP

It's hard to imagine being in the Christmas spirit, especially since the world is still experiencing cold fronts here and there. However, when working on vintage-style pieces like this one, it makes me long for the season. I can almost feel it.

For this piece, I wanted to go as vintage as possible. I think the chenille stems, the old fashioned dotted smile, and his charming wink all contribute to an authentic vintage feel.

Visit my Christmas page at Spookytime Jingles May 13 to see the finished product.

WIP Pictures!

Hat on...

Hat off

Which looks better? I'm completly torn. I wonder if there's a way I could rig the hat to be detatchable so he could hold it some days and wear it other days. Any thoughts?

The 10 Best Stop Motion Animation Films/Shorts

I recently watched the Stop motion film, "Fantastic Mr. Fox," and I couldn't resist paying homage to what I would consider the best form of animation. The characters seem much more life-like. Cameras take pictures of real characters that can be touched by human hands. That's something you don't get with Pixar or the other film makers swimming in an ocean of CGI. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Pixar movie, but for me, nothing can measure up to these treasures below.

I give you my 10 favorite Stop-motion animated movies and shorts. Keep in mind, this is only my opinion!

10. Vincent- Written and directed by Tim Burton, this is the shortest film on the list, at a whopping six minutes. It has the typical dark Burton feel, which I consider a good thing.

9. Corpse Bride- Another Tim Burton winner.

8. James and the Giant Peach- Roald Dahl is one of my favorite authors, and Henry Sellick is one of my favorite directors, so there's not much more to say here.

7. Wallace and Grommit Shorts- I'm kind of cheating here by lumping in four shorts into one rank, but I just didn't have enough room on the list. The Wallace and Grommit shorts are what first turned me on to stop motion

6. Fantastic Mr. Fox- As I said, I just saw this one for the first time, but it didn't take much time to climb to number six on my list. It's hilarious, atmospheric, and clever; like a Fox!

5. Wallace and Grommit: Curse of the Were Rabbit- The dynamic duo look even better on the big screen.

4. Chicken Run- This is like a stop motion, chicken version of the Shawshank Redemption, one of my favorite live action films. Plus it was created by Aardman, the makers of Wallace and Grommit, so you know it's a winner.

3. Madame Tutli Putli- I just found this short film on youtube. I've never seen such life-like puppets in stop motion, which somehow adds to it's creepy feel. Check it out if you haven't seen it


2. Nightmare Before Christmas- Needs no explanation. stop motion creativity at it's best, thanks to Tim Burton and Henry Selick.

1. Coraline- Written by Niel Gaimon and directed by Henry Sellick, this is my favorite stop-motion movie. I read an article about this movie about a year before it's release, and counted down the days from then on. Meanwhile, Steph and I read the book, and loved it. The movie version did not disappoint. It blended a bit of CGI with the old "claymation" art, making for a truly unique experience.

Spookytime Jingles April

It's STJ time again! Head over to spookytimejingles to see my new Frank piece, and a few acrylic art cards.

Moon Man Progress Report

Today, I realized it's been a while since my last moon man update. Most of the major structural work is now completed. This is where the fun begins! For the last couple of weeks, I've been applying clay over the paper mache exterior.

Thinking of the cost, I had not originally planned to have a clay exterior. However, I've decided after investing this much time into a single sculpture, it would be worth the few extra bucks to finish it properly.

WIP Pics, Finally!

It's only been a couple of months since I've sculpted with polymer, but it feels like it's been ages!

You wouldn't believe how many times the design of this piece changed before I made a decision.. I started with a ball that was going to be a pumpkin head, but it soon became the body to this Frank monster. Actually, the original plan was to be a totum pole of sorts with a series of Halloween icons. Not sure how it changed to this, but I'm happy with it!

Abandoned Dinosaur Park

It's been a while since I've posted anything about my artwork, but my brain has been in a creative overdrive lately. Lots of new artwork coming soon, I promise!

Meanwhile, I want to share with you another stop on our Arkansas journey. Maybe some of you remember this place.

While driving through the northwest hills of Arkansas, Steph and I noticed a sign, still advertising a dinosaur park, abandoned several years ago. It's interesting how many of the now abandoned roadside attractions are still advertised by "ghost signs." It's like they continued to hold out hope that someday they would reopen.

When I was no more than five or six years old, my parents took my brother and I to this park. In fact I think my dad posed for a photo with the above dino.

My parents also have a photo of my brother and I by the green T-Rex below.

Check out the Elizabethtown dvd cover on the right.

In the bottom right corner of the box, you can see Orlando Bloom standing near the T-Rex

If I ever find the old photos, I'll post them for those interested.





I wish I could have entered the park and taken more pictures of these comical beasts, but i didn't want to get griped out for trespassing.



I would hate to tarnish my fond memories of Dinosaur world.

I do have a few more photos on Flickr. Click here to see them!

And one last photo. This is the second largest statue of Jesus in the world, next to the one in Rio De Janeiro. It was sculpted by one of the same guys who created many of the aforementioned dinosaurs. I think his name was Emmit Sullivan. His sculptures are dotted all across the Arkansas landscape.