Crescent Hill Designs

STJ September

2011-09-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a long, long time since my last post, but I'm still here, and still sculpting. I've been very busy with a side project that is almost finished, but I will hopefully be able to devote a little more time to this old blog.

STJ updated yesterday, and here are my Fall listings.

Click the door to head over and see the beginnings of my candy corn village at Spookytime Jingles!

Meanwhile, my Alfred Hitchcock moon man sculpture has recently been published in Somerset Studio! I've always been a Hitchcock fan, so when Somerset had a Hitchcock challenge, I decided to give it a shot. My goal was to infuse elements of Hitchcock's biggest films into the piece, including "The Birds," "Psycho," and "Vertigo."

See you soon,

Lance

Brand New Holiday OOAK Folk Art at Spookytime Jingles!!

2011-04-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Only on STJ will you find both Halloween and Christmas in the month of May!

Check out these new party birds available now on my

STJ Christmas page:

Getting Back to the Moon Man

2011-03-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

It's been two or three months since I last worked on the moon man. I've been experimenting with different color schemes, and think I've found one I like. Most of the piece is painted, as a result of me putting off the sculpting of the feet.

Believe it or not, the feet have probably been the most challenging part of this project.

Mr. Moon has already been through 2 pairs of shoes. I've finally decided to put aside the painting and get back to the shoes. 3rd time is a charm right?

Zero jumped from the table about five feet up to moon man's head. Dunno how cats do that!

Hive Creative Challenge - Heeeeere Chickie Chickie!

2011-03-02T17:23:00.001-08:00

You can find me HERE!

Would you believe this little guy took a whole day of sculpting, painting, polishing and photographing!? Me either, but I love how it turned out; more on the way!

Easter WIP

2011-03-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

Spring has not yet sprung, but I've been having a blast creating Easter and spring-themed things.

This is the first of a set of "chocolate" bunny pops coming soon to STJ.

Hopefully I will have time to get some more things available on etsy, but you know how life is.

Flicker Bones and More

2011-02-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

This is Flickr Bones. Click the pic to go to STJ and find out more about Flicker.

Also, check out my STJ Christmas page to see my Easter Holiday Hootenanny offering, as well as a cheerful peppermint elf!

Click the badge below to go directly to my Christmas page!

New Stuff on the Way

2011-02-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

Wow. I just realized that it has been over two months since my last post; it feels more like six or seven. Guess there hasn't been much going on; at least that's worth sharing.

Steph and I have been prepping for a possible move sooner or later this year. It's amazing how much stuff one can accumulate in a relatively short period of time. I also found that it takes a lot of time and energy to sort through piles of unneeded junk. Needless to say, there will be a huge garage sale on the way.

All the while, I've managed to find time to continue sculpting and painting. Today, I'm putting the finishing touches on several new pieces for Spookytime Jingles, including our STJ staples of Halloween and Christmas, with this months addition of our HOLIDAY HOOTENANNY!

Be sure to check us out on the 13th for Hootenanny Easter pieces from Crescent Hill Designs and other fine STJ artists!

Seasons Greetings From an Unfinished Moon Man

2010-11-29T15:59:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

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

2010-10-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

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"

2010-09-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

This Grumpy guy is available now at STJ!

If Creativity is a Car, Music is the Fuel

2010-09-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-23T19:28:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

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!!

2010-07-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-07-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

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!!

2010-06-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

Available now at Etsy

Spookytime Jingles, June 13th

2010-06-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Available now at STJ!

Holiday Hootenanny!

2010-06-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-05T08:47:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-04-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

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.

Ghost Hunting at the Crescent Hotel

2010-03-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

When It comes to ghosts, one could call me an open minded skeptic. Maybe they exist, maybe not. I'd like to think they do but have not been convinced one way or another.

Anyway, you can bet I'll be snapping random shots with my fingers crossed every time I visit a supposedly haunted place like the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. If any place in the country has a right to be haunted, it's this one.

You may have heard of "Orbs." Most will dismiss them as specks of dust, but I like to weigh the evidence. On my very first shot in the hotel I saw this "orb:"

Just above the black ledge you'll notice a little white spot. Could be just dust, BUT I've never gotten this in places that are not thought to be haunted. Also, out of curiosity, I took a few shots from outside of the hotel and got this:

This was the only outdoor shot with an orb. I can understand the indoor orbs being dismissed as dust, but not this one. Also, it was a clear night, so it couldn't have been mist.

Oh, I almost forgot. I did see one undeniable ghost. Are you ready for it? ............................................

Oh, sorry. That's just the cat's water dish. The hotel has two cat residents who are allowed inside and out of the hotel lobby. Here's their exit:

And here is one of the cats...

.......sitting where these upstanding folks once posed for a photo:

And here's Steph and I standing in front of the Crystal dining room, where we had a delicious breakfast.

I'm Back, and Refreshed!

2010-03-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

As you may know, Steph and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary last weekend. We decided to make it a tradition to visit the Crescent Hotel every year on March 14th, the day we tied the knot. We had a blast!

For those who are interested, I'll be making several posts over the next few days to tell you all about our trip.

To start things off, we decided to spend the night in Hot Springs as a sort of halfway mark to Eureka Springs.

As soon as we checked into our hotel, Steph spotted a magic show she wanted to see. The magician's theater was litteraly right next door to our hotel downtown. It was nice being able to walk from shop to shop to show and so on.

Maxwell Blade and his magic show were a real treat. He moved his show from a larger theater down the street, to this more intimate setting. I've always loved smaller settings for shows be it concerts or magic shows.

The show was very light hearted and family friendly, while maintaining a dark and mysterious allure. Later in the show, Steph and I were even brought up on stage for a demonstration. We couldn't resist a photo opp. later!

Here's a few more pics we took around town, starting with a view from our hotel balcony:

Check my Flickr page for the rest of the Hot Springs photos!

This weekend I'll tell you all about our stay in the creepy Crescent Hotel.

Anniversary Trip

2010-03-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

Steph and I have been looking forward to returning to the Crescent Hotel since our honey moon last year.

Last year we kept our eyes peeled for ghosts. Many websites have the Crescent as the most haunted in America. Unfortunately we didn't really "experience" or see anything, but we did get some "orbs."

After seeing the film "Paranormal Activity," we're not so sure we want to see anything LOL!

We will also be making a pit stop at Hot Springs. Very nice place. We don't have reservations, but we're hoping to stay at the Arlington, another historic hotel. This one has a few ghost stories too, but I get the feeling it's a bit more gimmicky.

One cool thing about the Arlington: Al Capone is said to have rented out the entire 4rth floor. Maybe we can get one of his rooms! Here's a pic:

Moon Man Taking Shape

2010-03-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

I had decided to take the month off from STJ to celebrate my anniversary with Steph, and to work on this big moon guy (as you know by now).

I'm probably spending way too much time working on this project, but am having a blast! In the picture, you will see that I have added part of an arm.

Aside from the Moon man, I have some orders to finish, and a trip to plan, so nothing new for STJ this month. I'm Looking forward to getting back to the smaller sculptures and probably some art cards, so look forward to some great new stuff on STJ in April!

Still Available at STJ

2010-02-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Demolition

2010-02-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

We live in a pretty small town, of about 30,000, so it comes as no surprise that our tallest building is a dorm at the university that stands at 13 stories. Pretty tall for this area.

Unfortunately, the poor old building, built in 1969, is contaminated with asbestos. They determined that it would not be worth the cost of repairing it, so it is now being demolished.

I assumed a building of this size would be imploded, but they seem to be going about it a different way.

Notice anything different?

We got an eerie feeling rounding the corner and seeing this. It's strange seeing such a large structure in this condition when you've seen it another way you're entire life. It also made me think of Haiti and other natural disasters and warring nations where things like this happen without control. It must be a horrific sight in those areas.

Here's a few more pics:

Crazy huh!? On a brighter note, they will be replacing it with a shiney new dorm; much bigger and better, I would assume.

Easter WIPs

2010-02-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

This may sound funny, but it feels great to be swamped... at least when it comes to art. I can never really get myself into gear until it all piles up at the last second, and here we are again!

I have STJ to finish, several special orders to work on, and hopefully a few new Etsy pieces.

Here's a touch of what I will have to offer for STJ this month. As far as I can remember, this will be my first ever Easter ornaments, and I'm not sure why; I love Easter! I also have a larger Easter piece in the works for the hootenanny, and a new Halloween piece as well.

I've decided I should probably put my moon man project aside for a while, or at least until the 13th, when STJ updates. Here's another update pic on the big fellow:

Anyway, my coffee mug is almost empty, and so is the pot, so I better get ready to tackle this big pile of work in front of me!

Introducing the Tin Rabbit......My Mom!

2010-02-02T09:39:00.000-08:00

My mom has been toying with the idea of starting a blog for quite some time now, and has finally decided to take the dive!

http://www.thetinrabbit.blogspot.com/

Abandoned Motel and more Moon Man WIP pics

2010-01-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

Need a room? Steph and I took a little Sunday drive and found this old motel. I must have passed it fifty times in my lifetime, but have never payed much attention to it. I wonder who its last guest was, and when he or she checked out?

I wish I could have had a look inside, but I wasn't brave enough. No telling what lurks behind those crumbling walls!

The moon-man project is coming along nicely. I took a little break from the face and started working on the body, which has been very, very time consuming, but loads of fun. I decided to abandon the old body and start fresh, so his legs could be separate. I wanted it to resemble my smaller pieces, most of which have separate legs. Here's a couple of pics...

He looks a bit sloppy in that last pic, but that's part of the fun I guess. Anyway, I think I better put him on hold long enough to get some STJ stuff in the works. Easter is next!

Moon Man Project

2010-01-21T07:05:00.001-08:00

Remember this guy?

I started work on him some time last year. He stands at about six feet tall, so it's one of those projects that can easily get stuck on the back burner. In this case, the moon man was stuck in a corner collecting dust until he finally got knocked over, busting his paper clay face up pretty bad.

It was kind of a blessing in disguise, however. I had some epoxy-resin left over from another project, so I patched him right up, and now he's better than ever! While fixing him up, I have found a renewed interest in working on him. I bought some more epoxy resin, and now the moon man has a set of new and improved chompers.

Today I'll be working on the body while I wait for the face to dry. Keep posted for updates!

Completed Valentine Heart Man for Etsy

2010-01-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun making Valentine's pieces for STJ's second annual Holiday Hootenanny, I couldn't resist squeezing in one last piece before V-day. You may have seen a WIP picture from a few days ago. Here's the finished piece.

Available now at Etsy

Etsy Sale

2010-01-16T09:40:00.001-08:00

Check out my Etsy page for some really great sales! Everything in the "Sale" tab is marked at least 50% off. I become too attatched to every piece I create, but it's time for them to find a good home.

I should have the new Valentine piece completed by tomorrow, so check back for pics!

A WIP and some Random Pictures

2010-01-14T14:15:00.001-08:00

I decided to squeeze in another Valentine piece before diving into spring and Easter. It's been a really fun transition and a welcomed change from the Halloween and Christmas works. I wanted to do something simple, but detailed, so I figured a decked out heart guy would do the trick. Now I'm trying to decide if he should have a matching lady friend.

While uploading this picture I found some old photos on my camera I haven't had time to upload (or have been too lazy to upload).

Breakfast in the Target parking lot.

I've always loved old down town theaters. It seems like most of them however are run down and being used for storage, at best. Our neighboring town of Lufkin, however, has restored there old theater. They are now showing the old classics that once premiered there. Steph and I will probably be frequent visitors!

Spookytime Jingles January 13th

2010-01-13T07:53:00.000-08:00

Available now at STJ.

First Post of the New Year

2010-01-07T16:07:00.000-08:00

My most recent post was last year lol! That sounds really weird. It has been almost a month since my last post. Fortunately one of my many resolutions is to stop neglecting this blog.

We are about as far from Christmas and Halloween as possible, but this, surprisingly, is one of my favorite times of the year for Spookytime Jingles. Starting on the 13th of January is our second annual "Holiday Hootenanny!"

What is a Holiday Hootenanny? It's about as fun as it sounds! Many of the great holiday artists of STJ will be offering Valentine art in addition to their Christmas and Halloween staples. Look for some truly unique and OOAK works from your favorite artists.

Below is a little sample of a crossover piece I almost have for the 13th. See you then!

Spookytime Jingles December

2009-12-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

Time is flying isn't it? The cool thing about this as that it's already Spookytime again! It's my favorite time of the month. SO that makes this my favorite time of the month of my favorite time of the year. It's a good time!!

Be sure to check out all of the awesome new art at STJ tomorrow, or tonight if your a night owl like me.

Also, I have a new item available at Etsy. This is the first of a little series I'm calling "Snowbodies." Click here to see the listing.

See you tonight at Spookytime Jingles!!

Zero

2009-11-24T20:33:00.001-08:00

Zero likes to sit under the tree, above the couch. Any ideas on how to keep him off the tree?

Open House at the Tin Rabbit!

2009-11-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

Today, my mom had her annual Tin Rabbit open house. In case you didn't know, my parents own a little shop just outside of Nacogdoches. Over the years, it has become quite a big deal. People drive from hours away to see what my mom and her friend Sandra has in store.

Check my Flickr page for many more pics!

Still Available at STJ

2009-11-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

This poor fellow has literally blown a fuse, trying untangle a string of unruly Christmas lights! Available at Spookytime Jingles!

Also, I had a pilgrim in the works for the 13th, but he didn't make it on time. I'll try to have him on Etsy before too long!

A Walk in the Park

2009-11-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

Steph and I love to walk here. The leaves are beginning to change colors, the air was fresh, with a bit of a mist. This morning we decided to take a little time from our busy sceduals and enjoy a nice Sunday morning walk.

Look what I Got!

2009-11-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Well, I've had it for a while but here it is. I was fortunate enough to be paired with Amelia of Sweet B Folk art for Dani's second annual tombstone trade, and here's what she sent me!

She knows I have a thing for good old Humpty Dumpty, so this is what me sent me. How cool is that!? And check out my new paintbrush holder (also from Sweet B.)

Also, I have a new snowman ornament available on Etsy.

WIPs!!!

2009-10-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've been bitten by the Christmas bug recently, and I'm not complaining. I know it's wierd, since Halloween has not yet arrived, but I've been thirsting for Christmas movies, music, and most important, Christmas sculpting! The pic above shows a few things I've been working on.

New Sculpture on Etsy

2009-10-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

I tried my best to have this guy ready for the October STJ update, but I couldn't swing it. This will probably be the last Halloween piece for a while, but you never know!

Spooky (primetime) Jingles!

2009-10-12T10:42:00.001-07:00

I guess you could say October is the start of prime time at STJ. I have a few things lined out, including a few ACEOs and a Santa sculpture. I can't imagine what everyone else has cooked up for this month!

I wanted to show you some WIP photos, and some pictures I took from a little trip I took this weekend, but my uploader is not cooperating for some reason. Sorry! I'll post the pics as soon as it hopefully fixes itself lol.

See you tonight at STJ!

Been a While

2009-10-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a month since my last post, and I have no excuse. I've been pretty lazy with my art and blog lately, but I'm back now!

Sometimes it's good to clear your mind of art for a little while. It's like going to bed after a hard days work and waking up fresh. My mind is cleared and I'm ready to go now.

Despite the laziness, I do have a few things ready for Spookytime Jingles on the 13. Look for three new art cards for Halloween, and a very unique Santa, one of my fav new pieces in a while!

Etsy Front Page!

2009-09-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

I was featured on the front page twice and didn't even know it!! Fortunately, the wonderful Suz of Surprise, Delight, Joy informed me. Thanks Suz! The above ACEO was the most recently featured, and I just found out from an archive site that the below Frank was featured.

Click here

A Great Way to Start the Day

2009-09-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

It's almost update time again, and I've been trying my best to get everything finished. Lately I've been implementing a double dose of coffee, one of my favorite tools in art. The mug is from my favorite coffee house, a local place called "Java Jacks." I think their coffee is much better than Starbucks. The coffee in the mug, however, is just some good 'ol Folgers, "the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!"

When brewed properly, a good cup of coffee in your favorite mug can wake you up and massage your artistic shoulders. That's what it does for me anyway.

In the picture, you'll see a snowman WIP from an earlier post. The snowman has a bit more color in this pic, and is almost completely finished as I type. I also have an ornament set, and two Halloween sculptures on the way, so keep an eye out!

Zero, making himself comfortable in the window seal.

Happy (late) Birthday, to my Wife

2009-09-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry it's been so quite around here; I think I just saw a tumbleweed. The truth is I haven't had time to post lately, and as you know, my computer cord is out.

Anyway, yesterday was my wife's birthday. She just turned 24!! This day a landmark for her in more than one way. She also taught her first class at SFA, our local university. She's teaching intermediate algebra. Today she took her first grad school class. Wish her luck; as you can imagine, this is a lot to juggle!!

Now that Steph is a grad student, she has her own office!! Well she shares it with another grad student, but it's still pretty nifty, right?

Here's Steph, already hard at work in her new office.

The creepy looking thing above is a vulture. It kind of freaked me out when I first saw it. Apparently, it's a tradition to pass it down to new math and statistics grad students every year. He brings good luck if kept on a high shelf. LoL.

Also, I've been busy at work for the fall and Christmas season. STJ is right around the corner, so be prepared!

WIPS

2009-08-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Sorry again it's been a little quite around here. We still haven't had a chance to order a new power cord for our laptop and can only post from other people's computers, which isn't often.

One plus to the lack of Internet is that it's one less distraction from my work.

I've been able to get a lot of work done lately. As you can see in the picture, I have a snowman, a cat, and a few ornaments in the works, and much, much more. My holiday excitement is building!!

SALE!!!

2009-08-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Like I said, I don't have anything ready for a giveaway, but I will. In the meantime, I've decided to do a little house cleaning and put on a sale over at Etsy. Just head over to my Etsy Shop and you'll find some significantly reduced prices under the "SALE" tab.

Here's a piece from last Halloween that never found a home. I've marked him down to almost half of his regular price. Grab 'em while you can; their prices will go back up Sunday!!

100th Post!!

2009-08-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I've babbled on for 100 posts, but here it is! I'd hoped to have something planned for the occasion, like a giveaway or something, but I dont really have anything ready.

Actually I just needed to pop in to say that we fried another computer cord for our laptop (our only computer) and have not been able to post. This is the second cord to bite the dust and it's really frustrating.

Anyway, maybe I'll have a giveaway for post #101 or 102, keep checking!

Available Now at Spookytime Jingles!!

2009-08-13T12:16:00.001-07:00

A New Member to the Family!

2009-08-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

Meet....................

...............well, he has no name... yet. We have a couple of ideas for his name, but feel free to make some suggestions. This little fellow is too much fun!!

Fun at the Zoo

2009-08-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Steph and I both had Saturday off, which is unheard of, so we decided to make the best of our day. There's not a lot of significantly fun things to do around our neck of the woods, but we do have a small zoo. Though small in size, the Ellen Trout Zoo is considered one of the "best little zoos in America."

We decided to bring our nephew and niece along for the fun, and a fun day we had!

We kicked off the day with a ride on "Z & OO Railroad."

This was my favorite exhibit. Looks like something straight out of the Jungle Book.

This guy looked much bigger in person!

The rabbit wasn't part of an exhibit. He was next to one of the cages and I couldn't resist taking his picture. I thought it ironic that most animals probably want out and this one appeared to want in, lol.

Having a drink. I had my picture taken here when I was his age.

This is the only zoo I've seen where peacocks roam the sidewalks. They were all over the place!

For more pics , check my Flickr

Three Little WIPs

2009-07-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

Halloween, in my book, is just around the corner. Can you believe it's already almost August!? That's just a hop, skip, and a jump from October. I know I always jump the gun, but every July, I start getting excited about the holidays.

I whipped these little fellows up for STJ's August update. As you can see from left to right, we have a skull, a black cat, and a moon man. I plan to give each of them a body soon. Only 13 more days till the next Spookytime Jingles update, stay tuned!!

Two Down, One to Go

2009-07-23T12:49:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I like to make small Christmas items in sets of three, including a snowman, an elf, and a Santa.

Here we have the "Elfen" brother of the snowman art card I made a few days ago. Now I just need to complete the series with the old jolly fellow himself!

Find me on Etsy!

Coraline!!

2009-07-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

The DVD release of "Coraline" was today, and I am a happy camper. I went to the store this morning and picked up my copy. Plus, I think it's going to rain tonight, and we all know there's no better movie viewing weather than rain, right?

Hopefully "Coraline" will pick up an Oscar for best animated picture. Henry Selick is an animation mastermind!

Oh and check out this cool picture of Steph and me. I made it at Coraline.com.

Frosty ACEO on Etsy!

2009-07-16T20:31:00.001-07:00

Well, here's what I accomplished today. I was trying to organize and clean up my work desk, and I came across some supplies that inspired me to do this card. It includes some aged chenille stems, an old luggage tag, and a piece of sheet music from an old book. When I saw these things, they all called out "Snowman!" so I whipped up a mini Frosty, and put them all together.

I'll probably make a Santa and an Elf card to match, so stay tuned!

Available on Etsy!!

Available Now at Spookytime Jingles!!

2009-07-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

You saw the WIP pics earlier, and here's the finished product! If you haven't already, stop by Spookytime Jingles for our first birthday celebration, and check out these pieces. Also, be sure to look at all of the other great art available. I just finished looking, and WOW!

Below are a couple of candy corns named "Tweedle Dee" and "Tweedle Dum," also available at STJ.

Spookytime Jingles' first Birthday!!

2009-07-12T15:00:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how time flies isn't it? It seems like just yesterday this delicious melting pot of holiday folk art was born, but it's already been a year!!

WIPs

2009-07-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

I've been working my fingers to the bone, but unfortunately don't have a lot to show for it. I Started this morning and worked steady all day, and only got this far.

I have this little donkey, which inspired me to do this piece. Hopefully by the time I'm done, the animal that Santa is riding will look more like a donkey lol!

I do have some other pieces on the table, and some more that are completed and ready for STJ.

Graveyard ACEO

2009-06-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why, but I don't really do many Aceos. However, I've really been in the mood for painting lately, and aceos are great for that. Here's what I concocted last night:

I recently read Neal Gaimon's The Graveyard Book, and was inspired to paint a graveyard. If you like Gaimon's Coroline, chances are you'll love his Graveyard book.

The card is painted with acrylics, and I used bailing wire to make a nice iron fence. I had a lot of fun painting this thing, so look for more aceos in the near future!

Available here.

Uncle Sam and Fire Cracker

2009-06-15T19:15:00.001-07:00

Dogpatch USA

2009-06-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember Dogpatch USA? It was a hillbilly themed park in north-east Arkansas. I went there once when I was a kid and now can only remember fragments of the trip.

The park has sadly been abandoned for years now. It closed its doors in 1993, I believe. For years, I didn't know about its closing, until we passed by and saw its condition.

It is sad, but there is a haunting beauty to it all. Check out these pics:

So do any of you remember Dogpatch? There's a ton of pics around the Internet showing the park in its abandoned state, but none of its heyday.

If you have any pics or memories to share, please, do. I would love to see them!!

New Ornament and World's Smallest Frog

2009-06-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

I whipped this little guy together over the past couple of days and he's now available on Etsy for a special low price. Check it out!

My wife and I went to the park, and I saw this little frog and couldn't resist getting a pic with it. Notice the ring!

Still Here

2009-06-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long absence. I've been really quite lately, but have been busy working on new pieces when time permits.

I have some new Christmas items on the way for the next STJ update, along with something for Halloween, and a door prize, so stay tuned!

I keep forgetting to take WIP pics until I've already started painting, which isn't always a very flattering phase. I'll try to remember next time.

Slowly but Surely...

2009-05-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

This project is actually coming along faster than I had imagined. If you are wondering about his legs, they will be all in one piece, to ensure stability. I had originally planned on him being a moon man, but I am now having second thoughts.

I need your help. Would you rather see him turn into a moon man, or a snow man. I need your feedback!

2009-05-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

I want to thank the ever sweet and talented Julie-Ann of Heavenleigh Art for tagging me!

The tagging rules are:
1. name your tagger
2. write six unimportant things that make you happy.
3 then tag six bloggers.

Here goes!

1. wheat pennies (always a nice surprise to find something of the distant past in your pocket change)
2. films made in stop-motion animation.
3. Hiking trails
4. Restoration projects
5. road trips
6. roller coasters

And now for six talented bloggers:

1. Whimsical Endeavors
2. Light and Shadow Studio
3. Dark Raven's Nest
4. Howling Moon Designs
5. Chicken Lips
6. Once Upon a Blue Crow

Hope none of you have already been tagged lol!

STJ Sneak Peek

2009-05-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

Come see the rest of Frank tonight on Spookytime Jingles!!

Humpty Dumpty Completed

2009-04-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Here's Humpty, all finished. It took me just over a year LOL!

Also, I've made a little more progress on the new guy, but he's been put on his first of many holds. If you have not already guessed, he's a moon man... who is many moons away from completion.

More Project Pics...

2009-04-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

I'm actually a bit further along than the pics suggest, but here they are anyway:

Nope, it's not a poorly made "skelly piece." His enormous armature just happened to look like a real skeleton for a while, lol. I thought that was pretty cool, but he's past that stage now.

More pics soon to follow!

Big New Project

2009-04-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

Remember that big Humpty Dumpty I was working on? Well he's finished now, but I still haven't posted any pics; sorry.

I soon realized after finishing Humpty that I always want to have an ongoing "big" project, so I started my next one. Below is a very early WIP pic. Bet you can't guess what this will be!

This part is about 24 inches in diameter, just to give you an idea of the size.

Rainy Inspiration, and a new piece on Etsy

2009-04-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's a rainy, stormy day in east Texas, and I'm loving every minute of it. Something about rainy days puts me at peace, and allows me to be very productive artistically. Plus, it's a good chance to get caught up on some unfinished works.

So that's just what I did. I've conjured up some new ideas, and I finished up the spooky little fellow you'll see below. Now I'm enjoying a big cup of coffee while listening to the rain fiddling around on the computer. Good times!

Find Him on Etsy!

Spookytime Jingles - April!!

2009-04-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, don't forget to check out all the great new stuff at STJ this month. It may have looked a bit sparse last night, due to the overwhelming success of STJ at the convention, but guess what? More stuff will be listed tonight!!!

Almost Forgot...

2009-04-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

I am honored to have been given an award by one of my favorite artists, Laurie Hardin of Monkey-Cats Studio. Thanks Laurie!

Seven of my favorite things-

1. My wife (always wanted to say that)

2. Sculpting (obviously)

3. Traveling

4. Going to the Movie Theater (I'm a movie junkie)

5. The Crescent Hotel (and Ghost Hunting)

6. Writing and Story telling

7. Photography

And now for seven worthy recipients:

1. The Dark Raven's Nest

2. Heavenleigh Art

3. Whimsical Endeavors

4. Garb-oodles Soup

5. Thelma Art

6. Fat Jak Originals

7. Tadpoles and Teacups

New Completed Piece

2009-04-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23234274

Mushroom WIP

2009-03-30T09:49:00.001-07:00

This little guy has been dwelling in my sketchbook for quite some time now. I'll have a few days off soon, so hopefully I can finish sculpting and painting him. I also need to get to work on some STJ stuff and some orders, so I have a busy couple of weeks ahead!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2009-03-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

Today is my twenty-fourth birthday, and my wonderful new wife wanted me to post about it. So here it is! Anyone like Indiana Jones? Steph got me all four movies and a big Easter basket full of candy and popcorn, so a big adventure movie night is on the way!!

Also, I have a new WIP on the table, so check back soon for a pic.

Honeymoon at the Haunted Crescent Hotel

2009-03-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

Let me just say that the wedding was a blast, and everything went well. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait on the photos until the photographer gets them all ready.

For now, I'll share with you some of our honeymoon pics. I took hundreds of pics throughout the trip, so it's hard to decide where to start.

I think we'll begin with my favorite leg of the trip, the Crescent Hotel. You might remember my previous posts on the grand old hotel, but we had never stayed there, until now. It is considered by many the most haunted hotel in America, and with it's rich and sometimes disturbing history, I believe it. But don't get me wrong, the Crescent is much more than a ghost hunt. I would consider it also a gateway to romance and relaxation. With all of these ingredients in place, I'd consider it the perfect place for our honeymoon. Now on to some pictures!

The Crescent is located on the highest peak in Eureka, and as we made our way up the hill, we caught our first glimpse of our destination:

The Keys are still kept in an old fashioned key holder. Ours is number 315 below:

Our door Knob:

Here are some seemingly random shots around the hotel. A lot of them were taken in attempt to capture a ghost! Did we find a ghost you ask? No, not a thing. It was rather dissapointing, but I'm still a believer. And hey, maybe you guys will spot something we missed; we haven't looked very closely at the pics:

Check out my Flickr page for many more photos! (that is if I haven't already bored you to death)

We're Back!

2009-03-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

More Pictures Coming Soon!

Paper Clay WIPs and a Creepy old House

2009-03-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

Well here they are, the infants of my dive into paper clay. The picture below is my first ever paper clay piece. It's just an ornament, but I wanted to start small.

The egg on the below piece is made of paper clay, while the rest is made of polymer. He'll probably show up on etsy some time after the honeymoon.

Now on to the house. We live in Nacogdoches, TX, the home of quite a few beautiful Victorian homes. We have several streets lined with the old mansions. A couple of days ago, Steph and I were driving along, and I spotted this one out of the corner of my eye. It should be considered a crime to let a house like this get into this shape.

Don't get me wrong though, I think that the abandonment and decay add a strange beauty to the place. Call me crazy, but I wish it could be preserved to remain in this condition. Unfortunately, it has been condemned and scheduled for demolition. Such an amazing waste.

Also, I want to thank you all for you kind comments regarding our wedding. I treasure my friendship to each and every one of you!

I'll be back on the 20th or so, ready to share pics from the wedding and honeymoon, so be sure to drop in!!

A Free Minute!

2009-03-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Wow, I finally caught a free minute! Can you believe it's only ten days until our wedding? Probably so, but it's pretty weird for us. Anyway, sorry for the lack of updates. Hopefully after we get back from our honeymoon on the 20th, I'll be able to get back to sculpting.

Speaking of sculpting, I've decided to take these few free minutes to play with some paper clay (and type this post).

Everyone seems to be in love with paper clay. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that I give it a try, so after much procrastination, I've decided to give it a whirl. Actually, I have no idea what I'll try to create, but it probably won't be anything too elaborate. Maybe an Easter ornament? Check back tonight or tomorrow for WIP pics.

Humpty Dumpty

2009-02-22T15:54:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I've created several "Humpty Dumptys." I guess you could say he's my favorite nursery rhyme character. There's something about his tragic, yet comedic little story, combined with his simple, yet charming little shape that never ceases to inspire!

Above is a piece showing Humpty directly before his fall, and below is one showing the after math.

All of my previous Humpty sculptures have had two things in common: none of them are more than 7 or 8 inches tall, and they are all sculpted from polymer clay. For these reasons, and my love of the character, I decided last year to create a HUGE one in paper mache, rather than polymer. Well maybe not HUGE, but pretty big (my largest sculpture to date). I began work on him in February of 2008, and here we are a year later, far from completion.

When I was taking the above pic, Thomas got curious. He didn't know he was helping to show Humpty's size!

As you can see, the piece has a long way to go. If you're wondering what's taking so long, I was rarely able to work on him last year. I think I'm going to take it easy in March for the wedding, leaving all of my artistic time to Humpty. Time will tell. He may never be finished!

Oh and I want your opinion. Should I give him a Top Hat?

Honeymoon Destination Set!!

2009-02-18T09:01:00.001-08:00

Well the wedding is really beginning to come together. Almost everything seems to be in place, and as of last night, we have a hotel booked for our honeymoon. If you know me at all, you can guess where we are staying. I am all too lucky to have Steph agree to this place. She's just as thrilled as I am!

You may remember one of my posts from a while back, called The Haunted Crescent Hotel. This is the place. As I said in the post, I visit the place about once a year, but have never had the pleasure of spending the night. I'm thrilled that it will finally happen, and on such a momentous occasion!!

Go Ahead, Sneak a Peek!

2009-02-12T13:44:00.000-08:00

Visit STJ at Midnight, February 13th for more!!

Henry Selick

2009-02-07T07:46:00.001-08:00

I'm back, with a new computer, and new modem, and a new sense of care when it comes to computers. Hopefully that will be the last time my computer bites the dust.

Last night after work, Steph and I took in a movie that we've been anticipating for a long, long time. "Coraline" is a movie shot in stop motion animation, just like "Nightmare before Christmas." In fact, Henry Selick, the director of "Nightmare" directed Coraline.

Don't beat me up for saying this. I know a lot of you are huge Tim Burton fans (as am I), but I consider Selick the true genius behind Nightmare before Christmas. I do love the story of Nightmare, but what really draws me in is the vivid characters brought to life by Selick, not Burton. His style encompasses everything that I, and probably a lot of you, would love to be as an artist. I think there are many parallels between what we do in our artistic community, and what people like Selick do in theirs. Basically, movies like "Coraline," and Nightmare Before Christmas" are folk art sculptures brought to life, frame by frame. To me this is mind blowing and fascinating.

"Mind blown" doesn't begin to describe how I feel about "Coraline." This movie is amazing in every aspect, and I cannot wait to see it again, and again. Please do yourself a favor and see this movie. Let it inspire you.

Fried

2009-02-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry for another stretch of no updates. My computer, modem, and Satellite all got fried in a thunder storm the other night. Now I barely have access to the internet. Hopefully I'll get back on pace soon!

My Published Photo!

2009-01-23T10:23:00.000-08:00

I'm no photographer, and you know that, but an interesting thing happened on Flickr. You may or may not remember that a while back, I took a trip to Dallas with my fiance to check out SMU. This is where she'll probabley go to grad school this Fall.

Anyway, I took the opportunity to go down town and get some snapshots of the Nasher Sculpture Museum. Key word, snapshots. Nothing special.

A couple of weeks ago a lady on flickr asked me to submit one of my photos for a chance to be published on a down town Dallas online guide, so I figured, why not?

Low and behold, it was published! How cool is that!? Here's the photo:

Pretty amazing sculpture huh? I dream of doing something like this someday. Maybe in thirty or forty years lol!

You'll find where it was published on the widget over on the side bar. Click on Nasher and you'll find the pic there.