Shapes + Spooks

New work, a treat for you, spooky crafts + inspiration

Oct 17, 2024

I recently finished the painting below, inspired by a photo I took in Frankfort last November. I haven’t painted a landscape without people in a while, though I find the funky bodies of resting trees and golden grass resemble figures in many ways. This season offers such great shapes, light and colors. All themes I’ll return to in future posts.

Click here to see this painting come to life.

My treat for you: I cropped the image so you can make it your free phone wallpaper this season.

‘Shapes of November’ 36x48, acrylic on wood panel. Coming soon to Farm Club TC. Click for details.

Our kids are now at ages where holidays are very exciting. We’re home together on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and for the past couple weeks we’ve used this time to slowly craft our Halloween costumes and decorations.

Watching them find magic in simplicity reminds me to shift my own perspective, attempting to access that same childlike wonder. So, for outdoor decorations, we added googly eyes (white winter squash with black marker) and crow covered branches to some witchy planters. My friend Anna pointed out they conveniently look a lot like Inside Out 2’s Anxiety.

We also made a scarecrow (or as our son says,‘carecrow’) using gourds, carrots, moss, white beans, and things we found in our backyard to make his face. All you need is some hot glue and t-pins to secure the face, and an old sweatshirt, straw, and burlap for the body. I’m looking forward to watching him age in real time. He feels appropriate to leave up through Thanksgiving.