Halloween Art and Travel - Melissa Belanger: Art Quite Contrary

Melissa Belanger: Art Quite Contrary

08/31/20 • 48 min

Artist Melissa Belanger's desire to be contrary is rooted in her childhood. Her mother was supportive but didn't like candy, Halloween, and dolls, which Melissa adores. Melissa created all of her costumes. One of her most memorable was cardboard butterfly wings paired with a snowsuit. Halloweens were often cold in her Wisconsin hometown.

Melissa loved her time as a middle school art teacher. She pushed her students to explore as many mediums as possible and to focus on process over outcome. She was amazed by the skill of her students and how open their minds were. Before going full-time in art, she also worked in a bookstore and an art gallery.

Melissa is passionate about travel. She enjoys checking out places she's seen in movies or heard about in songs. In Ostend, Belgium, she checked out the resort from the 1971 European vampire classic, Daughters of Darkness. Watching tourists on the boardwalk reminded her of Edward Gorey's paintings. She's a fan of artist James Ensor (1860-1949), who painted carnivals, puppets, and masks. While in Belgium, she visited his apartment and his mother's curiosity shop. It was there she spotted her first Fiji mermaid.

Her parents bestowed upon her a love of history and literature. Both find their way into her paintings. The twisted stories of Elizabeth Bathory, Fox Sisters, witch hunts, and the Donner Party inspire her to create.

Melissa admits it is tricky to describe her paintings. They are so cute she almost wants to dislike them. Her paintings have playful colors and textures. Melissa enjoys playing around with different themes and eras and mashing them all together. Her characters often hint that they are about to do something naughty. An outfit, movie, or song will help her focus on a theme for an art show.

Melissa loves cocktails and to entertain. She intentionally sets up her art show booths as lounges to encourage people to hang out. One of her favorite drinks is a Corpse Reviver. Her husband, Joe, is a great booth assistant. He'll even wear short lederhosen to get into character.

Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine has included Melissa's work in multiple issues. On episode 20 of HGTV's Crafters Coast to Coast, she shared how to make a black cat bobblehead and a pumpkin pillow. Melissa shared the secret that several dolls played the part of the black cat. You can see the show at: https://watch.hgtv.com/tv-shows/crafters-coast-to-coast/full-episodes/bobbleheads-zombie-dolls-faux-tombstones-pumpkin-pillow.

Melissa wrapped up the interview with two of her favorite quotes:

"Remember, never take no cut-offs and hurry along as fast as you can" - Anna Khomina (Donner-Reed Party and the Winter of 1846)

"No matter what, expect the unexpected. And whenever possible BE the unexpected" - author Lynda Barry.

Visit Melissa’s website: http://www.melissabelanger.com

Melissa wrapped up the interview with two of her favorite quotes:

"Remember, never take no cut-offs and hurry along as fast as you can" - Anna Khomina (Donner-Reed Party and the Winter of 1846)

"No matter what, expect the unexpected. And whenever possible BE the unexpected" - author Lynda Barry.

Visit Melissa’s website: http://www.melissabelanger.com

Previous Episode

Sian Ellis: Ghosts Everywhere

In this episode, you’ll meet British artist Sian Ellis. Sian is excited to be a full-time artist after years working concurrently in charity events management and art. Sian’s favorite events to produce were Halloween ones. She organized a children’s event that featured the crafting of monster lanterns out of tissue paper and birch. Once the children completed their lanterns, they put fairy lights in them and paraded around to the beats of a steel drum band. One of her favorite grown-up events to plan was a scary movie night in the woods.

Sian has been drawn to spooky stuff, history, and art since childhood. She loved buying ghost books from her school bookfair (she still has the books). She would set up ghost traps around her house (she never caught one). She’d use up her drawing pads and then start drawing in the family books, much to her parents’ dismay. She still loves ghost stories now, in addition to true-crime and horror. She highly recommends the No Sleep Podcast (https://www.thenosleeppodcast.com).

With the exception of ceramics, Sian is completely self-taught. She recently moved into a studio in a community artists’ area – she likes it much better than her previous home attic studio. Her studio is filled with cheerful colors and ghosts. Dot is her 4-legged studio assistant. Dot helps remind Sian to stay healthy by encouraging her to not just work all day.

Sian loves to illustrate haunted versions of regular family homes. She feels honored that people trust her with such personal work. One of her favorite commissions was capturing the yard of a passionate home haunter in the US.

Sian is participating in a new quirky makers web site, https://happy-emo.com. She recommends it for browsing for alternative UK-made goods. Halloween isn’t as big in the UK as the US, but it is growing. Her hometown (Sheffield, England), has a festival in October called Out of this World, filled with cosplay, creepy movie cars, and Halloween. The city dyes the water in their fountain radioactive green.

Sian’s web site is: http://sianellisillustration.co.uk

Find the podcast web site at: https://www.halloweenartandtravel.com

Next Episode

Nancy Malay: Spooky Sweet Creator

Minnesotan artist Nancy Malay has earned her nicknames of “The Christmas Lady” and “The Halloween Lady.” Early American Life magazine named her as one of the best artists in the country. She’s been published in multiple magazines, including five covers of Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts. She describes her Halloween style as “spooky sweet.”

Nancy loves writing craft tutorials. She strives to simplify the artistic process for beginning creatives and to help them avoid pit falls she’s experienced. She loves when people send her pictures of their creations.

One of the defining aspects of Nancy’s work is her rich, detailed clothing. She got her start in creating doll clothing as a child. Her home ec teacher commissioned her to create dresses. Nancy has worked in a bridal shop and theater costuming.

Nancy enjoys collecting Santas. She’d bring them home and make little improvements to them, inevitably leading her to create her own. There are many similarities between creating Santas, wizards, and witches. They have pronounced noses, lots of wrinkles, and defining clothing. Nancy says you can have a conversation with her witches over their cauldrons, but if they offer you tea, inspect it before you drink it.

Nancy won a Department 56 Village decorating contest with a spooky water scene. The prize was presented by Olympic Gold medalist Dorothy Hamill and a relative of Charles Dickens. This was the genesis of her spooky scene creation. There’s always a bit of mystery in them – like a door you cannot see behind.

Nancy loves stories. Some of her favorites are Harry Potter, the works of Charles Dickens, Grimm's Fairytales, and the Time-Life Enchanted World book series. Victorian artist John Atkinson Grimshaw’s dark nightscape paintings provide a visual inspiration for her scenes.

She teamed up with artists Joyce Stahl and Laurie Hardin to create the Artistry of Three. They provide each other encouragement and honest feedback and bond over their shared love of chocolate. They have a plethora of collectors in common.

Nancy has two studio assistants, her dog Zoey and a life-size skeleton, Delta Dawn. Delta Dawn was inspired by the country song about a faded southern belle. Unfortunately, Zoey ate Delta Dawn’s rose!

Nancy has been licensed by four companies. The process is time consuming with grueling deadlines but totally worth it. It’s a thrill for her to see her work in stores. She loves meeting collectors at signing events and shows. She is filled with gratitude that people are willing to come see her. She appreciates her collectors because they enable her to do what she loves.

You can find Nancy’s web site at: https://nancymalay.wixsite.com/mysite-1

The Artistry of Three is found at: https://artistryofthree.blogspot.com/

Find the podcast web site at: https://www.halloweenartandtravel.com/