My Mom is one of the major reasons behind my love for Halloween. Ever since I was a child, she always did whatever she could to make Halloween, and the month leading up to it, as exciting as it could be. What I remember most are her paintings. In particular, I'll never forget the Ernie and Bert pumpkins she painted one year. They were perfect. I know most people prefer carving pumpkins, and that's great, but thanks to her, I'd much rather paint them. She's always been crafty, and just about every year, she makes little things here and there to add to her collection and, more importantly, my memory bank.
It's very early for Halloween related art, but when she heard I was making a blog that nobody reads, she knocked out two quick paintings for your viewing pleasure. I love them.
She painted this Pumpkin Patch in a matter of hours using nothing but her mind and Folk Art Acrylic Paint. She's never been one to create nasty, gory images. I'm actually happy she doesn't because I think it would be weird to have a mom that's into flesh-eating zombies and blood. I love my Mom's paintings so much because they're innocent. Far too often, Halloween is portrayed as an rated-R horror movie and, while that is fine at times, it doesn't always have to be. Halloween can be fun. Halloween can be cute and, even for a 24-year-old man, Halloween can be girly. That's what my Mom brings to the table with her paintings and I like that it can appeal to everybody. Even if you hate Halloween, you'd still love her art.
For me, the classic monsters are the epitome of Halloween. I remember, when I was about 7, I went to Pizza Hut with my Dad and they had the Universal Monsters plastered on everything. Their snarling faces provided so much to the ambiance of that time and, because of that one day, Pizza Hut has become a Halloween tradition. Sadly, they don't get into the Halloween spirit like they used to, but the memories remain and I'll still do anything to grasp at nostalgia.
In this painting, my Mom portrays the monsters in her own way and, once again, it's innocent. I doubt I need to do this, but from left to right, we have the Mummy, Frankenstein, The Witch, Dracula, Ghost and The Wolfman. The Pumpkin gets an honorable mention. They're all smiling and the blood on Dracula's chin is about as gory as my Mom can get. Again, I like it that way. However, I like to pretend that these monsters aren't really monsters at all. No, I think they're really just kids dressed up on Halloween. They've been Trick-or-Treating all night and now, just as the sky is ominously turning purple, they're posing for one last photo before they dump out all of their candy and begin their sugar rush. That's the type of innocence I derive from her paintings.
My Mom is already working on more Halloween art. She loves creating new things and I always enjoy seeing what she'll come up with next. Whether it be a Halloween painting or a Christmas stocking, she always impresses me with her talent and ability to tell a story through art. As somebody who attempts to create my own, I can appreciate the time and energy spent in each new piece.
As she creates more and puts the finishing touches on works already in process, I'll be sure to post them here. Even if nobody reads these blog posts, I like knowing her art is out there to be seen.
