The Veil Thins

As Halloween draws nearer, I am reminded of those I have lost. Of the great people and animals, I have had the good fortune of knowing, and meeting. This is my cat Pluto. His mother came up to me on my back porch, a neighbor's neglected pet. She gave birth to him right there. She was terrified and wouldn't let me take my hand off of her. I found his siblings homes when they were old enough. Pluto was my shadow and I could not part with him. He only lived six years, my mother let him outside and he was hit by a car. It has been a long time, but it still pains me. 

I was fortunate to know the great Bob Burns and his wonderful wife Kathy for many years. When my situation changed, I stopped being able to join them at Wonderfest and while we talked often back then, I lost contact before their passing. If you do not know who he is, I encourage you to change that. His contribution to film history and to monster lovers everywhere cannot be overstated. 

Sir Cecil Creape, Nashville TN horror host. He predated me by a little and I had no idea who I was meeting when this photo was taken, but I am so glad it happened. He was a great host, and an inspiration to the horror host I worked with many years after. 

John Zacherle, (The Cool Ghoul) horror host, singer, and much more. I had the HUGE honor of spending a day with John at Louisville Zoo many years ago. He was a delightful man, and I will never forget him. We talked for hours while I helped him get around. He was surprisingly not interested in seeing the spiders, but we did run into an old military buddy of his and they had a lot of fun talking about the old days. He lit up.

My Father Elmer Paul Allen. Dad belongs on this short list, he indulged my love of Halloween and horror, even if it wasn't his thing. He made coffins for me, headstones for my first yard haunt at age 11, and helped with other props. He was a master of his craft in cabinet making, building houses, and could build or repair almost anything. He was also a deeply compassionate soul. I think of him every day.

This Halloween, and every day, honor the dead. Remember them, and share your memories with others.

AI is Evil

 I hate AI, it steals from artists, it takes jobs, it is killing our planet. I hate the people making it, and the people saying, "That is just the way it is". What they are really saying is that it is okay for the rich to steal from everyone else, especially the artists, and sell it back to us. It is saying that the rich can take what they want, that they matter more, and that creatives can be walked on, because "That is just the way it is". It is spinless, it is thoughtless, and it disregards the consequences. Why learn art when you can't make money at it? Why teach it when everyone is using AI and there are barely any students? Why hone a craft and an understanding of nature and form? The creative world grows smaller, while this poison spreads, and every time we are okay with it, we let it grow a bit more, we cut down another tree and get another day of towns being destroyed by the noise, toxins, and lost property value. It isn't okay, it is not to your benefit, it is at your expense, even if you do not see it yet. This is my favorite time of year, and it is tainted by art at stores replaced with AI ripoffs. End rant. 

Pain of Parting

 Selling art is something that has always had two sides for me. I am proud to have sold many works in my time, and I love that my work gives others joy, but it can be hard to say goodbye to your creations. Especially this one. It is one I really love, but it now resides in The First Church of Halloween, and I am very happy about that.

Art Show

Last weekend there was an art show that I was an exhibitor at. My stuff is in the top image. The other two are from other vendors who caught my eye. I managed to sell a few things, in spite of dreadful weather due to a tropical storm. 

The October Witch

 Oh, look! I've been a good little goblin, and the October Witch left me a gift!

IT was right there!

 I encountered Pennywise at the Donelson Library the other day.

Office Space

 I was tasked with decorating our office. I was not allowed to be overly dark... sadly.

It's Tradition

 I just finished this painting, and I am debuting it here. It will soon be shown at a public event. 

Thirty-One Movies to Watch in October!

 What do you think of this list? What would you add or remove? 

1. Trick r Treat

2. Halloween (1978)

3. Dark Night of the Scarecrow

4. Halloween III

5. Something Wicked this way Comes

6. Corpse Bride (2005)

7. Sleepy Hollow

8. Night of the Living Dead

9. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

10.The Black Phone

11. The Grudge (2004)

12. Sinister (2012)

13. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

14. The Ritual (2017)

15. The Woman in Black (2012)

16. Crimson Peak (2015)

17. Nosferatu (2024 film) and watch the original as well. 

18. The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)

19. The Fog

20. The Howling

21. Fright Night& Fright Night II

22. Dracula (1992)

23. Dark Harvest (2023)

24. Boys in the Trees (2016)

25. Clown in a Cornfield (2025)

26. Häxan (1922)

27. The Witch (2015)

28. City of the Dead aka Horror Hotel (1960) 

29. The Monster Squad (1987)

30. The Midnight Hour (1985)

31. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

Bonus films.

ParaNorman (2012)

Monster House (2006)

Hocus Pocus (1993)