Every year around this time I find myself on the lookout for that first little bit of orange at the green grocers, usually in the form of mini pumpkins. Then follow the larger pumpkins and decorative gourds soon after. It truly marks the beginning of autumn which is my favorite time of year. Last year I was wandering through the farmer's market in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and I found a treasure trove of the most beautiful decorative gourds! I bought a whole bunch and they inspired me to paint this Pumpkin Varieties Chart to help usher in the season. Just looking at these makes me smell the wood smoke and feel the chill in the air. Soon it will even be time to pull out my vintage Halloween decorations and begin carving a pumpkin. I like to try out different faces each year, usually scary and since it is always so hard to decide upon one, I thought I would do a painting of all sorts of Jack O Lantern faces, some scary and some friendly. I added in a black scroll border complete with crows to finish it off! Both paintings are available as prints in my Etsy shop The Curious Kitchen.
Halloween Enthusiasts
As far as I am concerned the week before Halloween is the best of the year! I thought I would celebrate the people in my neighborhood (Manhattan's West Village) who get into the spirit of Halloween as much as I do! The above photo is in my living room, I just love the old ornaments from the 40's and 50's.
These 3 are from Rag & Bones on Christopher St.
My downstairs neighbors
Further up Morton Street...
Jacques Torres chocolates down on Hudson Street
Some spooky votive candle holders my dear friend LJ sent me!
My mantle.
More Ghoulish Halloween Paintings
Here are the latest installment in the 1920's german figure-inspired portraits. A pair of black goblin cats. This time of year is so inspiring to me; the oranges and greens, the spooky images. I just can't get enough of it.
Goblins
In the spirit of the season I am continuing to explore the ghoulish side of my work. These 2 paintings were inspired by german composite (plaster, paper mache...) figurines from the 1920's. They are all quite unusual and chillingly jolly. I look forward to beginning a new set this weekend.
HALLOWEEN PORTRAITS
Here is the Jack O Lantern portrait finished as well as another figurine from the 1950's of a cat and pumpkin. I can't get enough of these jolly yet macabre Halloween decorations!
