Halloween Art and Travel

Maren Owens of Mimi's ole Nickel creates whimsical Halloween and Christmas characters overflowing with personality. Each sculpture speaks to her during the creative process, letting her know who they need to be. Her characters run the gamut of emotions. They can range from serene to sassy, or perhaps even grumpy. All are beautifully dressed in antiques and carefully chosen found objects. Maren draws inspiration from folklore, the Victorians, Old World Europe, and everyday people. After studying art in Chicago, Maren shifted from the traditional gallery world to sculpting holiday characters. Whether it's potion-testing witches, vigilante vampires, or mischievous elves, her creations are layered with meaning, humor, and conversation. Her time working at a makeup counter sharpened her understanding of facial anatomy and even inspired her unconventional sculpting tools. "Once I sculpted a face, I just couldn't go back—it's so much fun because the characters start telling me who they want to be." - Maren Mentions: Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween (Marshall, MI): http://www.bewitchingpeddlersofhalloween.com North Penn Holiday Art Show (Lansdale, PA): https://northpennifc.org Vampa Museum (Doylestown, PA): https://www.vampamuseum.com Visit Maren at "Mimi's ole Nickel" on Facebook and @mimisolenickel on Instagram.

Welcome to Season 7 of the Halloween Art and Travel Podcast! I'm your host, Kristen Stafford, and I'm thrilled to kick off another season of celebrating the artists and collectors who bring Halloween magic to life. This year, I'm launching the season a little later than usual, but for a good reason. In this trailer, I'm sharing the behind-the-scenes story of a new project I've been working on with my friend Jorene Lomenzo of Shivers of Delight. It all started with a simple text message... and today, it's officially live. We are introducing "The Halloween Art Guide for Spellbound Collectors" (HAG). This guide supports Halloween art collectors with an artist directory, a collecting guide, and a section on Halloween art shows, past, present, and future. This season podcast episodes will drop the 13th, 23rd, and 30th, August – October. You'll also get a preview of my interview with Maren Owens of Mimi's Ole Nickel, debuting on August 13. Mentions: -Halloween Art Guide: www.halloweenartguide.com -Halloween Art Guide on Instagram: @halloweenartguide

Grab your broom and journey to the enchanting world of Kitchen Witches to uncover their cultural significance. Join the movement to revive their popularity. This episode features insights from various creators and collectors, shedding light on their enduring fascination. Thank you to all of our content contributors: Anna Allen, (Aw Shucks Annie Dolls): https://www.facebook.com/awshucksanniedolls and https://www.instagram.com/awshucksanniedolls Jennie Hepler-Takens (My Dearest Witch): http://www.mydearestwitch.com Kris Gurky (Dark Moon Salem): https://www.instagram.com/dark_moon_salem/ Mary Lynn Cudejko (Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween Fan and Owl Collector) Lauren Demers-Windom (Witches for Kitchens): https://www.instagram.com/witchesforkitchens Pat Benedict (Woopitydoo Art): https://www.facebook.com/Woopitydooart and https://www.instagram.com/woopitydooart Rebecca Miller Campbell (Rebecca Miller Campbell Designs): https://millercampbelldesigns.com/ Ryan Knight (The Handmade Knight): https://www.instagram.com/the_handmade_knight/ Stephanie (Stevi) Tiongco (Stevi T Fiber Art): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063437424746 Ter Brazier (Host of the Merman Podcast): https://www.instagram.com/the_merman_podcast Vanessa K. Eccles (Fabled Collective): https://www.fabledcollective.com/ To look at some fun pictures of kitchen witches, visit my Resources page: https://www.halloweenartandtravel.com/p/resources/

Meet Marion Held, the creator and curator of the Devil-ish Little Things Museum in Vancouver, WA. Marion shares her passion for collecting whimsical devil, Krampus, and satyr objects. Marion's collection is brightly colored, mostly from Europe, and is based on fairytales and folklore. Her collection began 26 years ago when she fell in love with the Devil and Cards ceramics by Royal Bayreuth. Marion is dedicated to inspiring others to appreciate and collect art. Her collection exudes a playful European charm that reflects her upbringing in her native Germany. She loves the craftsmanship behind each piece and is still actively adding to her collection by partnering with a network of dealers around the globe. She has a keen eye for unique pieces and works diligently to preserve the history of each object. Marion is a well-known beadworker. When she lived in LA, her beadwork was discovered by a Hollywood costume designer. That lead to work in movies like Hocus Pocus and Batman Returns. She also created special creature effects, for movies like Hellboy. After moving to WA and opening her museum, Marion took on doing pottery, which she sells out of her museum gift shop. "...if young people don't start collecting, everything is going to be lost...I always say go out there, go to antique shows, look around, discover some cool stuff and then maybe you'll see something you like that will stick with you. And then before you know it, you have a house full of stuff like I do. Then I'll come see you..." - Marion Held Visit Marion at: https://www.facebook.com/DEVILishLittleThingsMuseum or https://www.instagram.com/devilish_little_things_museum

Meet Anna Allen, an artist who blends traditional cornhusk craft with her Appalachian heritage. Anna creates cornhusk dolls under the name Aw Shucks Annie Dolls. Her dolls feature vibrant colors with a special focus on witches and the magic of Halloween. She also enjoys creating dolls showing traditional Appalachian clothing and activities. Growing up in Ohio, Anna was surrounded by her creative and self-reliant family. Her childhood includes memories of her grandparents making their own lye soap and family gatherings filled with joyful bluegrass music. Anna collected dolls before she started making her own. One day, along with her mother and a friend, she decided to bring to life her own. She laughs now at how "ugly" her first try was. Through exploration and determination, she grew into the skilled artist she is today. Anna does twist up tradition by putting faces on many of her dolls. She enjoys making witches with two or three heads. She loves knowing that her collectors put their own narratives on the dolls once they adopt them. "... it's an honor and a privilege to share my Appalachian roots and heritage through the creation of my cornhusk dolls." - Anna M. Allen Mentions: Anna singing Moonshine Ridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWXLQw7Gqjk Circleville, Ohio, Pumpkin Show: https://www.pumpkinshow.com/ Halloween in July Market (Circleville, OH): https://pickaway.com/event/halloween-in-july-market-2/ Peggie Kilgore Corn Husk Dolls (Search the internet for pictures) Visit Anna at: https://www.facebook.com/awshucksanniedolls and https://www.instagram.com/awshucksanniedolls/