May Monster Madness 2015

'Tis that marvellously macabre time of year again - May Monster Madness time! Thank you to Annie Wells, Little Gothic Horrors and Something Wicked This Way Comes... for hosting this fab blog party for the fourth time, and thank you to Maynard from the Horror Movie Diary for suggesting this year's insect theme. 

As it so often does, my mind went straight to art, so I have gathered together my favourite creepy crawly pieces by some of my favourite artists, as well as a classic horror movie poster or two. Enjoy!

'Queen Bee' by Mark Ryden 

This piece was created for Mark Ryden's 'The Gay 90's: West' show held at Kohn Gallery last year, a continuation of his 2010 'The Gay 90s: Olde Tyme Art Show' at Paul Kasmin Gallery. The frames used were all either vintage or designed by Ryden, as this one was.

'Beehive Skull' by Jack of the Dust

Australian 'Skull Lord' Andy is the creative director behind Jack of the Dust, using plastic human anatomy skulls (moulded off real human skulls) to form the basis of his sculptures. 

'Cabinet of Curiosities Specimen No. 61 -
The Black Widow Spider' by Mab Graves

Each one of Mab Graves' Cabinet of Curiosities insect specimens has a tiny lover's eye cameo set into its back, painted with a one-haired brush. 

Beetle in resin necklace - oxidised silver
by William Llewellyn Griffiths 

Master jeweller William Llewellyn Griffiths recently received an order for another one of these, but said it took him months to find another beetle that was as amazing as this one.

'Herman And Morris' by Travis Louie

This piece was created for Travis Louie's 2011 show at Merry Karnowsky Gallery featuring characters with unusual pets. According to the artist, "Herman found his prized huntsman spider in the basement of his parents’ house. It followed him wherever he went for most of his adult life. He named it Morris because it reminded him of his Uncle Morris, who had long spindly legs and a strange gait that often confused people as to which direction he was about to step in. Although it was common to have large insects as pets in this town, it was frowned upon to have an arachnid as a pet. When they would go for a stroll or take in a show at the theatre, Morris would hide in Herman's stovepipe hat and watch through tiny holes near the top of the hat band. Herman could even hear him clapping at the close of the each performance. It made him laugh out loud every time."

'Spider' by Camille Rose Garcia

Camille Rose Garcia made this piece available as a digital download in her store for Halloween 2013.

A work in progress for Ryan Heshka's
'Mean Girls Club' comic extension

Last year, Ryan Heshka published a comic to accompany his 'Mean Girls Club' show at Wieden + Kennedy Gallery. He has recently completed work on an extension of the original comic for a UK publisher, sharing the above teaser with his Instagram followers in April.

'Halloween Girl Red' by Stephanie Buscema

Stephanie Buscema released this print for Halloween last year. 

'Shared Umbrella' by Mizna Wada

Mizna Wada shared this piece with her Instagram followers last year. Her drawings are available for purchase from Gallery Nucleus.   

'The Society' by Kurono

This piece was part of Japanese artist Kurono's self-produced poster series in 2013. It was quickly noticed by Auguste Clown Gallery, and is now stocked there alongside several other Kurono works.

'The Silence of the Lambs' movie poster

And last but not least, here is the poster for one of my all-time favourite films, 'The Silence of the Lambs.' The skull on the moth used in this shot is a copy from a photograph entitled 'In Voluptas Mors' by Philippe Halsman. The original photo features Salvador Dalí with seven women posing to make a skull, itself inspired by a Dalí drawing - 'Human Skull Consisting of Seven Naked Women's Bodies'.

Thank you for joining me for May Monster Madness! The links below will take you to visit the other partygoers :)

Michele Lynch and her Steampunk Souls

I first discovered figurative pop surrealism artist Michele Lynch only recently, when I saw her tagged in a photo on Facebook with Mab Graves and Aunia Kahn at Alexi Era Gallery. Being a fan of the other two ladies' work, I clicked on Michele's profile straight away, and upon scrolling through her page, became completely smitten with her art. 

You can see why:

'The Plot' - Michele Lynch

'In Loving Memory' - Michele Lynch

'Katianna' - Michele Lynch

I love the way Michele explains the inspiration behind creating her amazing pieces: "The Steampunk Souls were created after working for a company where [I] nicknamed the Vice President 'The Soul Sucker'. Driving to and from work every day, [I] began to envision a group of misfit rebels that could rise up and take back their kingdom of creativity from The Soul Sucker. The Steampunk Souls became those rebels." Ha! 

Michele explores these characters and their stories through sculptures and 3D paintings, which have been exhibited all over the USA and right around the corner from me here in Melbourne at Auguste Clown Gallery. 

'The Caretaker' - Michele Lynch

'The Hallow Sisters' - Michele Lynch 

'Darcy Zombie' - Michele Lynch

Aside from exhibiting her work in various fabulous galleries, Michele also sells items through her online store and her Etsy shop, like these little beauties:

'Steampunk Souls Jessie' - Michele Lynch

'Vampire Bat Girls' necklaces - Michele Lynch

I recently ordered one of her print sets and I absolutely love it. Each of the prints in this limited edition set is signed and numbered on the back. 

Michele was even kind enough to include a sweet little note with the package.

The set includes: 

'Belladonna' - Michele Lynch

'Wednesday Addams' - Michele Lynch

'The Plot' - Michele Lynch 

'The Caretaker' - Michele Lynch

'Lucretia' - Michele Lynch

I popped these little darlings into plain black frames today.

And finally, here is the lady herself - just as gorgeous and fabulous as her art  ❤

Wilderness show at Auguste Clown Gallery

I recently had the great pleasure of attending the opening night of the Wilderness show at Auguste Clown Gallery. A fabulous exhibition, it featured 50 different pieces from local and international artists, and focused on the exploration of an untamed world.

Here are some snaps of my favourite pieces:

Kristen Egan's 'Swarm'

Heather Gargon's 'Home Is Inside Me' and 'Wish Bat'

Lana Crooks' 'Heart Of The Forest #2' and 'Study in Monochrome'

Jordan Elise's 'Crowned Foxolotl'

Cody Williams' 'Alp'

However, the main drawcard for the show, the one featured on all of the promotional material, and the one I made a beeline for as soon as I arrived, was the utterly gorgeous new Mab Graves painting, 'The Entomologist's Daughter'. It was even more beautiful in person, and I loved having the opportunity to get up close to admire its intricate details. 

Mab Graves' 'The Entomologist's Daughter'

This beauty was not the only Mab piece in the show - she also contributed two of her incredible Cabinets of Curiosities. Mab "has always loved the insect specimen shadow boxes in curio collections, but the little girl in [her] felt terrible that they were murdered bugs! [She] decided [she] wanted to make totally death-free (guilt free!) specimens that still upheld that creepy feeling, and spent hours and hours researching insect species and painting them. Each one also has a teeny tiny Victorian 'lover's eye' mourning cameo set into its back." 

Mab's butterflies were beautiful, but I was completely smitten with the 'Cabinet of Curiosities Specimen No. 132' as soon as I laid eyes upon it. 

Mab Graves' 'Cabinet of Curiosities Specimen No. 131' and 'Cabinet of Curiosities Specimen No. 132'

I had no plans to purchase anything that night. I was attending for the pure pleasure of seeing all these wonderful works in person. Besides, I assumed everything would already have been sold. Sure enough, little red stickers had been placed next to almost all of my favourites by the time I arrived. 

Except for Specimen No. 132. 

 Mab Graves' 'Cabinet of Curiosities Specimen No. 132'

I really enjoyed checking out the other excellent works in the show, but kept glancing over at this box - particularly whenever the gallery's lovely owner, Leigh Cornish, moved anywhere near it. 

Hubby noticed these furtive glances, and said something that made my heart smile: "I had planned to get you something else for your birthday, but I can see how much you're loving this piece. Should we ask if it's still available?" Aww, what an incredibly sweet thought! I didn't think it very likely, but I crossed my feathers tightly just in case.

We headed over to the counter to speak to Leigh. "Hi, loving the show. Is there any chance that Mab cabinet is still available?" 

Please say yes, please say yes… 

"As a matter of fact - it is! Shall we go over and place the red sticker underneath it together?" 

Eeeeeeeeeeeep! 

Leigh peeled off that little red circle of joy and stuck it on the wall next to Specimen No. 132, then went back to the counter with my hubby. I stayed with the bugs, beaming, honoured to be the new owner of an original piece created with love by an artist whose work I absolutely adore.

My beautiful beetle box now hangs proudly in my hall, on a wall panel that seems to have been made for it. It makes me smile whenever I look at it.

Mab Grave's 'Cabinet of Curiosities Specimen No. 132' hanging in my hallway

Thank you Mab, thank you dear husband, thank you Leigh at Auguste Clown - you have all made me a very happy little 'mingo indeed!

The waifs and strays of Mab Graves

Greetings dear darklings.

This evening, I would like to share with you my excitement about the release of Mab Graves' latest painting, 'The Entomologist's Daughter'. Not only has lovely Mab created yet another incredibly beautiful piece, she has decided to release it right here in Melbourne at Auguste Clown Gallery this Friday night!

The Entomologist's Daughter

From June 20 until July 7, 'The Entomologist's Daughter' will form part of the Fitzroy gallery's Wilderness exhibition, a show featuring more than 30 international artists. Through this show, Auguste Clown wants to take us on "a journey to a land bound only by the imagination, where nature reigns and the wild roam … [this exhibition will] bring together a collection of traditional paintings and sculptural art in an exploration of an untamed world." I'm really looking forward to it!

In celebration of this great event, I have gathered together some of my favourite pieces by this fabulous pink-haired Pop Surrealist, who movingly describes her art as, "My creations, my obsessions, my darlings. My Waifs and Strays. To inspire you, capture your wall, hold it hostage and not let it go. Or maybe just to vaguely creep you out. Each piece is an original painting. Each painting is a piece of my heart." No wonder I love her work so much. ❤

Enjoy my dear darklings :)

Stargirl

Harlow In The Fairy Ringweb

The Raven Queen

Into The Night

Elphaba and the Flying Monkeys

Alice Croquet

Verity Graves-Skellington 

Krampus Bellus 

Page of Pentacles

And last, but by no means least, here is a sneak peek of a work in progress for Mab's Alice in Wonderland solo show, to be held at the Monster Gallery in Indianapolis in September of this year. I'd love to be there to see this collection!

Alice