Caterpillar

Kevin Titzer’s creations fall somewhere between macabre and disturbing and whimsical and quirky, which for this blog, as the little bear said, is just right. They have a certain, twisted, folk art appeal that leaves you wondering what exactly Kevin was thinking when he created them, but you’re left on your own to formulate a story that goes with each wry character. See the whole cast at www.kevintitzer.com.

Ether or

Sienna

Michael deMeng is another of my all time favorite found object artists. His book The Secrets of Rusty Things is on my bookshelf. He takes what, at first glance, would appear to be a complete jumble of unrelated items and transforms them into totems, shrines and toys. I’ve always been fascinated with the re-purposing of discarded and unused objects and he is a master at it. As he says:

My work is about transformations.  It is about the transformation of the common into the sacred.  Discarded materials find new and unexpected uses in my work; they are reassembled and conjoined with unlikely components, a form of rebirth from the ashes into new life and new meaning. 

Check out the awesomeness at www.michaeldemeng.com.

Since it’s the day before Halloween, it’s only fitting that I showcase the work of my favorite Halloween artist, Pumpkinrot. This guy really knows how to decorate for the holiday. His site is chock full of his creations dating back to around 2003 and, believe me, it’s some pretty amazing stuff. He creates an incredibly creepy scarecrow each year along with a host of other goodies, some of which embellish his own yard and some of which are sold through his etsy shop. Check out the horror at www.pumpkinrot.com.

Colleen Downs (aka Loopy Boopy) creates amazing dolls and doll head ornaments from polymer clay, acrylic, paint, pastels and vintage fabric. From zombies to ghosts to that most frightening of all apparitions, the clown, she meticulously fashions her pale creatures and sets them loose on the world through her etsy shop. She’s incredibly prolific and there’s something for everybody, at least everybody who’s looking for something a bit different when it comes to dolls. Also check out her blog at http://loopyboopy.blogspot.com.

Power Figure Doll Sculpture

Partially influenced by world art, pop culture and mythology, Shain Erin produces art dolls that evoke at once a primitve, sideshow aesthetic and a childlike innocence. Their withered heads and raglike bodies are carefully crafted from a variety of materials including found objects, fabric and paperclay. Shain then ages them using various techniques to give them the feeling of antiquity. If you’d like to have one of your very own (I know I would) visit Shain’s website at www.shainerin.com or his etsy shop.