Blogmania Artist Interview!!!

I hope you are as excited as I am about the artist who agreed to give a wonderful prize package to one winner. Actually, I hope you are more excited than I am since you get to enter and I don't. :( (okay, I'm done whining now... lol) So, to get to know her a bit better I thought I'd ask a few questions and give you a little insight into this talented person.

What is your favorite medium to work in? Let’s see, that is a tough question. I love all the mediums I work in but mostly, mixed media projects seem to be the ones I return to the most. In particular, curio cabinets are my preferred method of expression. The pieces start out as a collection of junk that grow into a life of their own and the story is born as the creation of the cabinet occurs. Creating characters to inhabit the space is the best part!

In your opinion, why does Spooky and Cute just seem to go together? To be honest, I love all things horror and scary. However, I understand that this does not appeal to everybody. In fact, too much gore or violence gets to me too. So how can I bring the fun and adventure of horror stories and scary creatures to people without frightening them? Make the stories and creatures cute, of course! Taking things that would normally be horrifying or grotesque and making them cute is not only fun, it can be a real challenge. And who can resist a cuddly Cthulhu or charming yeti?

What made you think of combining those two ideas? I have always loved both themes! I grew up watching Tim Burton movies, classic horror films and listening to Meat Loaf, all which revolve around cult, Halloween and terror themes. (Yes, I was a strange child!) But I also loved all Disney films and I am absolutely fascinated by Walt Disney. Not to mention, my mother loves Halloween and instilled the same passion within me. With the influence of all those people, Spooky Pooky was born and so was my style.

What is it about the Yeti that you love so much? Cryptozoology has always been a love of mine. The idea of strange creatures existing in the world that have yet to be discovered is totally intriguing. I drew my yeti, whose name just happens to be Waddell by the way, as a quick doodle for a quick project. He turned into my favorite sketch ever for some unknown reason. Soon after, a friend crocheted a version of Waddell for me and then I began receiving more and more. The more I get, the more I love them!

Since this blog has ended up as a book review site, what is your favorite book? Oh gosh! I am the daughter of a children’s librarian so books are in my blood! Ronald Dahl was my favorite author, and to this day I still love The BFG. Even at 24 years old, I love young adult books like Coraline, the May Bird series as well as the Ghost Girl series. Alice in Wonderland is on the top of my list as well. On the contrary, I love true crime books and my favorite book of all time is Helter Skelter. The story haunts me still. I love true haunted stories andhorror stories as well as any classics. Sorry, it is impossible for me to list just one book!

If you were to write a book what would you call it? Spooky Pooky: You Never can be Too Sure About the Girl.

What other things are you wanting to do with your art? I have so many hopes and dreams! I would love to try my hand at stop-motion animation someday. I am currently working on a children’s book centered around my yeti. I have discovered so many new mediums just this year and I hope to continue on that path. Above all else, my number one desire is to touch people, even if only a few, with my art for the rest of my life.

Tell us about what you made for the giveaway. As I mentioned, my art often takes on a life of it’s own. Being a paranormal book theme, the whole project turned into a ghostly premise. I am saving the full story for the winner, but I can tell you all that the entire package revolves around a shy but friendly ghost formerly known as Heathcliff. Heathcliff leads a lonely life, living in a 19^th century library. His only friends are those that he reads about in the books on the shelves of the very building he haunts. The winner of this giveway will be receiving a Heathcliff plush, a Haunted library inspired curio cabinet, and a mixed media wall art portrait of Heathcliff’s likeness before he died in an unfortunate accident.

If you would like to see what Alexz has for us then just click on the Paranormal Book Maniacs icon to go to the Blogmania page!

Links for Alexz:
Alexz BlogAlexz Creations (her Etsy Shop)