plague doctor

FINALLY. Series 4 of the Plague Doctors is complete. There are 4 different figures, all holding their hats.

I've been working like mad - without rushing - to get these little beauties finished to coincide with the feature in Rue Morgue Magazine.

Photos have been taken but need to be edited still, which takes an amazingly long time, especially when they all need various specs depending on where I'm posting them.

The plan is to definitely get this one posted here and in the Art Ghoullery (done), and then post him to Etsy. (Updated: he has been adopted. Thank you!)

With this Plague Doctor, I wanted to revisit the white mask on a figure who wasn't wearing a hat. Attempted to create a more traditional mask - perhaps not traditional strictly to Plague Doctors, but in general mask making. Especially since most of the figures coming up are not traditional. In any way. They've certainly taken on a life and will of their own.

After a ridiculous set of dreams where I was causing problems in social situations, I woke up at 5:30 am this Saturday morning. I lay still for a while, waiting to see if perhaps it was just a sleep hiccup and if so I might still drift back to dreamland.

No dice.

But that's fine. I was tired of making scenes at important events anyway.

Besides, I had tasks I could accomplish. For example, the night before I had started to make Honey Preserved Clementines. After the initial cooking, you need to set them aside for 8 to 12 hours before putting them in jars. 5:30 was the 9 hour point. It all works out.

I've never made preserved anything before. I'll tell you in a week how it turns out.

Meanwhile, I'll be trying to finish the gaggle of Plague Doctors I've started over the last month. I think they're making Santa and Mrs. Claus a bit nervous. What do you think?

From a grand Halloween display in my office, I moved directly into tackling Christmas decorations in the living and dining rooms.

With the exception of one gift, I am done Christmas shopping.

I have one or two gifts to make, and then I'm free to create. This is important. It will be the first time in months that I will be able to create in an organized space, without distractions of other things I should be doing.

Not only do I look forward to the simple act of getting messy while making some monsters, but it's the last thing on my 'to do' list. In fact, I've been rushing like a mad woman to get the rest of the things done so I can get to creating.

Because you see, I have some news.

It's 99% confirmed. And being a pessimist sometimes, I generally like to keep news to myself until I know the good is going to happen. But I don't think I can keep it a secret any longer, and I don't think I can wait until January.

So here it is.

I'm going to be in the January/February issue of Rue Morgue Magazine.

Well, my Plague Doctors will, in their Needful Things section.

If you were following my blog last year during Festival of Fear, you may recall my post where I talked about wanting a certain print from Toronto artist Ghoulish Gary Pullin. Sadly, he didn't have any in 2009. I still walked away with a beautiful Frankenstein print (that looks fantastic framed, by the way), but when you have your heart set on one particular thing, it's hard to let it go.

It was the Fido image I was coveting. Not only is it easily one of my top zombie movies of all time (plus it's Canadian, and it has Billy Connolly as a zombie), but the artwork is stunning. So it should be no surprise that the very first thing I did when my table was set up on Friday was head over to Gary and lay claim to a copy of the print (pictured right).

The surprise (at least to me) came on Saturday. My table was buzzing with people (at the convention it went in waves: it was like you either had no one around or 5 people at once wanting to buy something), and in the middle of packing up an item I look up and see Gary.

No, that's not the surprise.

The last figure of this second set was specially made for a friend.

I've enjoyed creating these figures, but there's an added joy when you're making one with someone specific in mind, and you know it's going to a good home.

As an update, half of the figures have already found a home. And to those new owners, I say thank you for your support.

I've plans to make 1 or 2 more sets for Rue Morgue's Festival of Fear next month (time permitting), but they are on the back burner as I focus on other projects (like, for instance, 3 huge peek-a-boo plants that are over a foot tall).

But let's get back to the star of this post.

This is easily my favourite pose yet. The bowed head gives a sense of contemplation, or a false sense of gentility. This changes when the figure is perched above the spectator.

While tidying, I had moved this Plague Doctor to a high shelf. Having the feeling I was being watched while I vacuumed, I looked up. There he was, staring down his beak at me.