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.

Ghost Hunting at the Crescent Hotel

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!

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

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

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!