Halloween Shortcut

Original Painting - Acrylic on Canvas 16x20

Halloween Shortcut

Taking a shortcut through the woods on Halloween night after Trick-or-Treating seemed like a good idea at the time …but now, not so much. Shadows and moonlight have given the twisted tree stump a sinister and frightening appearance. Is it just their childish imaginations or is it something else?

Swamp Witch Rising

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 12x16

The swamp witch rises from the stagnant waters of the swamp. She is covered in sinewy ropes of decaying vegetation and the remains of her tattered dress. Tendrils of fog and swamp gas swirl about her and the gnarled trees where an ominous and gigantic raven with glowing eyes is perched.

Babydoll

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 24x36
(click on painting to enlarge)

This is without a doubt the creepiest painting I've ever made.  I asked my (at the time) teenage daughter if I could use one of her old dolls as a model and she gave me Babydoll. I proceeded to mutilate the doll for the scary effect I was after only to find out she still wanted her doll intact. Who knew? I painted this about 30 years ago, and then roughly 15 years ago I revisited it and added the Raven.

She wrote a paper on it in college writing class when she was required to write a description of a work of art. She received an "A" on the assignment so it wasn't a total loss. At least that's how I see it.

This painting actually made me feel very uneasy while I was painting it late at night and I had to quit and only worked on it during the day after that. I didn't like the look in the doll's eye staring at me from the canvas. My traumatized daughter has forgiven me and we still laugh about it every once in awhile.

Read about two artists and their different career paths by Robert Genn; http://faso.com/brushbuzz/links/7675

Will-o-the-wisp

Original painting - Acrylic on canvas 24x36

Under a full moon, the ghostly woman in green holds out her lantern to lure hapless victims into the swamp.

Definition; A will-o-the-wisp is a ghostly light seen by travelers at night, especially over bogs, swamps, or marshes. It resembles a flickering lamp and is said to recede if approached, drawing travelers from the safe paths.  moon paintings

Full Moon on Halloween Lane

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 20x16

My kids, all grown up now, inspired this painting. From left to right are; Tanya, Gina, and Scott.

The kids are not so sure they want to trick-or-treat at the spooky house down the lane. Can't say I blame them. halloween paintings