She is at it again

With all the flooding in Texas right now with damage in the millions and growing, but for those trolls on Facebook decided to pick on what I consider a fellow artist although I live many states away on the east coast. Her work is a wonderful inspiration to others that deal with painted body art. Her colors are bright and vibrant and with more detail than most. With the addition of her his quality photos that she takes herself, is an added bonus. I had to ask here what kind of equipment she used, she told me it was just her cell phone.

To artists of all mediums sees the work and dedication that went into creating her work, it is those who judge her based on the canvas she happens to be born with. Even though the canvas is better than most and more than likely better than the troll that keeps reporting her, she has kept within the boundaries Facebook has set up. One of her friends was kind enough to post these on her post those boundaries.

Katie McKinney continues to post nothing more than her passion on Facebook that she allows everyone to enjoy. Even though all this took place earlier in the week, I regret not being able to blog about her sooner. I hope that these challenges do not damper what she posts, I know it will not stop her life and she and other are much stronger than that. It is a shame that we can not face our accusers but it is nice that Facebook did clear her of charges that these works of art are allow to be posted.

These are the two pictures that were in question.

Here is what Facebook had to say about them.

With Halloween just Months away, I hope she finds the time to put together other paintings and shares with us. Understandable that she has a busy life with kids and a boyfriend, that they should come first. I'd like to see some classic horror works done (https://www.facebook.com/leatherface.sawyer.39), but comic book heroes are great too.

Thanks for your artwork and keep those trolls back under the bridge.

You can find her here https://www.facebook.com/PrayingforFall

    

   

Netherworld Haunted House

Picture from their home webpage

I am a huge fan of all things Halloween. I have been to several small haunted attractions and a few large ones. In the large category I have listed Universal Studios Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights this one because of the size and the amount of people that fills up each of the areas even though there are as many as five or so plus you have scare areas. I have been going for the past few years and looking forward to getting back there again this year for the 25th Anniversary celebration. 

The largest single attraction that I have been able attend so far is NETHERWORLD Haunted House in Norcross Georgia just outside of Atlanta. 

It is a huge place with tons of details that you may never get a good look at because you are watching for demons to pop out and scare you. Here is a photo from their website of one of the rooms that you walk through. Everything about this room is perfect. there are movies that are being made today that does not have as much detail that this room has. If you are a haunted house owner you should do everything you can to bring it up to the bar that these people have set. 

Granted you can not have a successful haunted attraction just on room detail alone, you must have characters that come out and brings these rooms to life.So of course one of the biggest haunts have some of the best cast of characters. This is on of the "Grounds" characters that the closer you get the more detail you will see. I invite everyone to get as close as you dare this coming season. 

Taken from their website

 NETHERWORLD has a different theme every year which is incredible. This past year (2014) their theme was witches. In this photo you can see they do not play with Wal-Mart masks and dollar store make up. It is like they went on a search to be these people from their homes and sat them in to the set. Thats how real they look.

Taken from their website

Here is one of the displays that you can get your picture taken at. There are also photographers that will be glad to have you pose with the monsters. 

TransWorld's Halloween & Attraction Show

It has been long times sense my last posting. There have been a lot of activity and planning for the upcoming Halloween season. I know it's only the end of January but with me working full time, starting my senior year in college, and planning to attend TransWorld. 

For those of you who don't know what that is, I copied this from their website "TransWorld’s Halloween & Attraction show is the ONLY industry trade show of its kind in the world.  There is no other show that has as many exhibitors and industry related products. For the last 19 years, TransWorld’s annual Halloween & Attractions show has created the market place for the Haunted House industry. Each year the Industry gathers to network, get new ideas and purchase products.  This show is a MUST ATTEND event if you are thinking about opening or currently operate a Haunt, Corn Maze, Farm, Pumpkin Patch, Paint Ball Field, Family Fun Center, Amusement Park, Zoo, Aquarium, Halloween Retail Store or anything Halloween related.  We have everything you need to make your Halloween season a success.   Each year, the show continues to grow with NEW EXHIBITORS, NEW PRODUCT, and more buyers on the show floor. The Halloween & Attractions Show combines the products and knowledge of over 300 exhibitors that you need to see this March! 

I'll be there when the doors open and stay until they kick me out Thursday - Sunday.

I also have a back stage pass to see The Darkness with the lights on to see how they were able to pull off "America's Best Haunted House". 



Stop by and see up dated pictures from the show floor. 

Halloween Prop

There is a prop that I have seen only through the use of the internet. It is known only as I can find it under the term "Skull Chair" that I was able to "Google". Other than a couple of pictures, I can not locate any information on this chair. I am constructing a chair that is modeled after this original one. It is not a copy but I'm trying to build it as close as possible. I would like to know where the original is located so I can give credit where it is due. This is a great work of art and the more I looked at the more I wanted to build one just like it to be added to the haunted attraction where I work during Halloween. My chair would never be sold and will be kept in my home.

Dark picture

Although there is a logo on this picture, this chair is not located on their website 

Here is an update on the prop chair. I can only work on this when the weather is clear. This is just the first skull. I started with a 2"x 8" that I has cut down to 12" boards which I cut down to a workable size. Just now I have taken as much corners off and rounded the sides. Now it is starting to look as the shape of a skull. There needs to be more taken off the back side. There was a lot of work done to get the wood down to what I have now. Right now all of the sanding has been done by a hand belt sander. I will be getting the Dremel tool out for the detail of the face.

The Start of Something New

The new year is just around the corner. 2014 held a long list of new experiences that I have enjoyed everything I have learned and the people I have meet.
2015 is going to be epic with a long list of activities, events, more people to know, stuff to build, and new memories to create.
My bio is a simple one.
I was born in 1969 which allowed me to enjoy many developments in many things that I have grown to love. I hope to list each one of my interests and follow up with as much information on those subjects as I can find throughout the internet and with life experiences. There will be dull spots that might not draw in a crowd but there will be demos that I will be posting related to Halloween and horror movies.
I enjoy two of the theme parks that cover the United States. My first theme park is The Walt Disney World Resorts. I spent three short years working there and I enjoyed  every minute of it. One of the perks of working there is that you can visit each of the four major places during operating hours for free. For those that have dependents, will also enjoy the parks along with you as well. My oldest son enjoyed being able to go everyday that I was off work. At the time I worked there they had a daycare on the property, on our way there sometimes we would be lucky enough to be stopped to watch them bring out the train that much of the time we would ride later that day. Disney is full of details fit for all ages, but is still advertises to families. My family has grown older and so has our taste of theme parks. Disney will always be a place to go with the family when there are more little ones.
The second theme park is the Universal Studios in Orlando which includes both the Studio and Island of Adventures. My first time there was when it had first opened. I had a couple of family members that worked there and we were able to enjoy more than just the rides. Although I never had the chance to ride the Jaws ride, I did however enjoy Kong. It was my favorite because you were up in a cable car looking down on the streets which was loaded with activity. That also means that you were closer to King Kong which at one point you found yourself in his clutches. But all that is gone and the new area of interest for tons of travelers in the new Harry Potter areas in the two parks. For me now I have brought back my strong interest in Halloween and all things related. So I when I found myself back in Florida 2013 from South Carolina I went to Universal Studios Florida's Halloween Horror Nights. From that point on I have started setting the opening weekend to attend. They do haunts at such a high level that it is difficult not to enjoy it. I enjoy sitting on one of the benches in the area and watch people get chased around. The Haunted Industry is where I have been drawn to ever sense that first Halloween Horror Nights in 2013.
The Haunt Industry is a large and ever growing industry with followers of all ages. Also in 2013 I joined a Haunted Attraction where I play the cult classic character from the 1974 movie classic "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". I enjoyed the art of the movie where the horror wasn't so much what you saw but what your mind thought you saw. With the haunt that I am involved with we try to recreate some of the iconic scenes placed along in a series of horror ideas that scare people for their enjoyment.
All these subjects and more I hope to cover and update for as many people as I can to enjoy. I have projects to build that I will be posting pictures as soon as I can while they are being constructed. Future trips to all these places and more will also be uploaded. My next trip that is being planned is to Transworld. Transworld is a haunt convention where people from all over the country go to buy and experience what is new for the upcoming Halloween season. I will be posting as many pictures and videos as I can.
One of my favorite shows that I have enjoyed at the start of the show is AMC's The Walking Dead. One of the reasons for liking the show so much is that they film the show just a few hundred miles away and I have visited some of the locations where the filming had taken place. This show is also an inspiration for me to start sculpting in clay for masks and props for Halloween and the haunt industry. I will be adding pictures and posts of my creations as it is being built.
There is one other topic or product that I will be added as well. this is toy related. The toy of choice for me is Legos. I have several sets of Legos and I will continue to add more to my collection. I give you reviews of what sets I have built and some that I do not have but would like to add.
I ask that if you have questions and/or requests please comment.