Holiday
eBay artist Suzanne Urban (eBay Seller
id: suzanne.artist) sat down at the
cyberspace roundtable to ask three
talented EHAG members to share their
thoughts on their Halloween creations.
Below
are some spirited musings:
Nina
Terry – Email: velvetmoonbathery@hotmail.com
(eBay Seller ID: velvetmoonbathery)
1.
Where are you from? Tell us a little
about yourself.
NT:
I was born and raised in little
coastal town called Rockport near
Corpus Christi Texas. I lived there
until I was 21, got married and moved
to Virginia. I’m a mother of a
beautiful five-year-old daughter named
Victoria Rose and am married to my
junior high school sweetheart. Both
are the world to me. I have a passion
for the Victorian era. I find
everything about it romantic,
alluring, dark, and mysteriously
enchanting.
BH:
I am from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I
have been living in Hanover, PA for
the past 12 years. I’m located
southeast of Gettysburg. I live in a
primly decorated home with my husband
Cory, two English bulldogs Moon &
Sara, and two cats, Izzy and that
little kitty.
MK:
I was born in southern New Jersey in
1973. I grew up there and worked as a
graphic designer for many years. I
decided in 2002 to give art a full
time chance, so I started over in New
Orleans. I recently moved to Missoula,
MT.I will live in Missoula for
another year before heading back to
the Crescent City.
2.
What is your background in art?
NT:
I make what moves me and experiment
with what I think my strengths are.
Most of what I do, I learned myself or
from my mom and grandmother. They were
always quilting, sewing, and making
things to give for Christmas and
special occasions. I will give any
kind of art medium a try and I learn
most by trial and error.
BH:
I have a Master’s equivalency in Art
education and have been teaching in
the Maryland public school system for
the past ten years. I’m currently
teaching art at a middle school.
I’ve been creating art since I was
old enough to hold a paintbrush (about
three years old)! I’ve been teaching
art privately and publicly for about
22 years!
MK:
I always drew, from as early as I
could remember. I originally had
wanted to be a comic book artist. I
had a very intensive high school art
teacher who taught on a second year
college level.I attended the Savannah College
of Art & Design for 3 months. I
ran out of funds and finally took a
yearlong graphic art course in a
technical school. I have never stopped
studying art history, techniques, and
theory on my own time.
3.
Why Halloween?
NT:
It’s always held an attraction for
me and I have so many good memories of
the holiday as well. Everything about
it is captivating, magical, and
mysterious. It’s the one night where
you can dress up and be anything you
to want be and it’s accepted. I
think it’s the only time of year
people are normal! So why not create
things to celebrate it all year round?
BH:
I love
this holiday! It has always been my
favorite! I love to play dress up and
have been doing so ever since I was a
child!
MK:
Halloween was always one of my
favorite times of year. I have had a
lifelong obsession with old horror
movies, creepy imagery, and Halloween
in general. A morbid fascination that
is still strong within me. It’s not
all I do by any stretch, but it’s a
genre I feel comfortable revisiting
frequently.
4.
What is your favorite medium - no pun
intended - i.e. Oil paint? Clay? Etc.
NT:
I will have to say soap! I use 100%
vegetable melt and pour glycerin made
of olive oil and coconut oil. Why?
It’s easy to work with, natural, and
so extra silky on the skin!
BH:
I’m currently into Primitive art
dolls! I love to create fabric soft
sculptures, usually with faces, and
altered art embellishments! Oh, and of
course wings!
MK:
Acrylic paint primarily and oil
secondarily. I have sculpted about 400
pieces out of papier mache, but rarely
do them now. There is an episode of
HGTV's “Collectible Treasures”
that features some of the pieces, as
well as other artist’s work. With my
weekly Halloween postcards I like to
experiment with new techniques and
increase my knowledge base of art
materials in general.
5.
Have you ever encountered a ghost?
NT:
Oh yes, many times but mainly voices
or quick glimpses out of the corner of
my eye. I have pictures as well! We
tend to get a lot of
"visitors”. When we throw house
parties they show up in the party
pictures, some as orbs, and others as
figures. I pay no mind; I just think
they wanted to have a good time too.
BH:
I grew up
in the civil war town of Gettysburg
where there seems to be an abundance
of them. We used to live next to the
battlefield.An old battlefield observation
tower was right behind our house. Once
late at night we walked back and
climbed it. We felt as if someone was
behind us as we went up. We heard a
noise, turned around but no one was
there!
MK:
I believe so. She looked just like a
solid woman, but wearing outdated
clothes. My friend and I passed her on
the street when I was 16 or so. It was
in the summer around 7 pm, so it was
still pretty light out. We saw her
approaching, and then we
"passed" her. Something felt
very wrong. The woman was no longer
there, and we ran the direction she
was heading for at least 200 feet. We
saw no one on either side of the
street. She just wasn't there anymore.
6.
What are your future plans/creative
ideas for your Halloween Art?
NT:
I’ve
already started on a Victorian witch
line of items that will consist of new
soap scents and gift boxes. It is a
blend of the Salem witch history and
Victorian décor. Soy candles will be
added soon. Also I’ve been toying
with shadow box displays since I enjoy
making the mourning boxes.
BH:
I am excited about creating more
seasonal crossover pieces like my
Valentine’s witch. I want to do more
Day of the Dead skeletons with
different themes. I also would like to
paint some of my dolls on chunky
canvas!
MK:
I have a few brewing. I would rather
keep them quiet right now. I am really
excited about them, but with the work
load I have for upcoming gallery shows
it may be some time until they are
ready. So I must bite my lip.
7.
Do you have any advice for Halloween
Collectors who buy one of a kind and
limited edition Halloween art?
NT:
This is a
hard question for me since I only
started a collection the past few
years. I buy anywhere and from anyone.
I would say this though; purchase what
makes your heart jump and feels like
you can’t live without!
BH:
Sorry I’m not a collector. No time
or money!
MK:
I guess the main thing is to buy what
you like. Do the research, learn the
terminology, and learn as much as you
can. Always be on the lookout for the
strongest examples of your favorite
artist’s work. The best will always
be the best, and if it’s a one of a
kind you won't have the chance to buy
it again.
8.
Do you have any thoughts to share
about the Halloween Holiday?
NT:
A magical
time for me. It’s very near and dear
to my heart. The sight of fall
foliage, smell of the first crisp
breezes in the air, plump pumpkins,
witches brew, and hearty stew! My
thoughts are to make your own family
Halloween traditions even if it’s
simple and homemade. When your
children are grown, they’ll fondly
cherish these memories.
BH:
Never grow out of that childhood
fantasy world. Believe in witches,
ghosts, fairies, gnomes, and etc. Soar
on the wings of your imagination!
MK:
Hah! I wish I did. The last seven
years or so, I have been doing
Halloween art shows. I am so burnt out
from making so much, by the 31st
it’s pretty much a wash! I usually
end up at a Halloween party with a
different sort of spirits! I was a
gorilla skeleton clown last year. I do
like to throw Halloween parties with
fortune telling games and the like.
It’s been awhile since I've lived in
a place conducive to that.
9.
Do you have a website or blog? Where
can collectors find your art?
BH:
My art can be found on eBay under
seller ID: paintthemoonprimitives. I
take custom requests via email:
bholsten66@hotmail.com. I am working
on a website and eBay store. I am
looking into advertising in two
magazines, “Mercantile Gatherings”
and “Art Doll Quarterly”.
MK:
Yes. My website: www.shiverbones.com/matthewkirscht/,
which I am usually good about
updating. I also have some images on
my Flickr account that aren't on the
website. The web address:
www.flickr.com/photos/73902814@N00/.
If you are in the Missoula Montana
area, I am having an exhibition of art
at the UC Gallery in September. I will
have another one in New Orleans in
October at the Big Top Gallery.
10.
What can you share about the EHAG
community?
NT:
EHAG is such a wonderful group I can't
even begin to say enough about it! I
am very proud to be part of the EHAG
group. EHAG is truly a unique and one
of a kind gathering of artists. Thank
you for letting me in this special
community!
BH:
What a
wonderful and talented group of
artists. I¹m
honored to be part of this group. EHAG
has inspired me to create everyday and
think outside of the box! Who knew you
could create and sell Halloween art
all year round?
MK:
It’s a
great group of people. I wish I had
more time to socialize in the group's
discussions. It’s hard to get a
group of people that talented together
and not have ugly ego clashes run
rampant. It’s nice to belong to a
group that genuinely enjoys what each
other are doing.