Looky Looky! Great Press!

We're tickled to the bottom of our spooky boots! Spirits in Sanford is featured in a six page spread in the October issue of Orlando Home and Leisure magazine.

Just take a look at the online issue and you'll be drooling like we were. You'll find us on page 54 when you select the Contents button from the home page.

We're proud to have Jorge de Rojas and Dianne Waldron so beautifully photographed for the spread.

Three days and counting...counting...counting! Can't wait to see all our Halloween friends!

Mixing it up for Halloween!

What a thrill to be listed in the "What's Happening" column of one of our favorite magazines, Where Women Create. That's how artist Sarah Whitmire found out about our Halloween art show. And once we saw Sarah's mixed media creations, we knew she would be a great addition to our event.

Check out how busy she stays on her blog!

All the way from Indiana and Maryland

My, that guy has some big eyes, doesn't he? All the better to scare you with!

Our show this year is growing, with the addition of several new artists.

Debb George will be traveling to the Sunshine State all the way from Indiana. She just might get the award for traveling the farthest for her love of Halloween art!

Also packing his bags for a little Florida time is Chris Klingler from Maryland.

Chris will be showcasing his wonderful talent for pen and ink illustration, plus an amusing assortment of watercolors and colored pencil creations.

Reigning Prince of Paper Mache

Jorge de Rojas is shown with his fabulous collection of paper mache figures, ornaments, masks, and rattles. Needless to say, here's a man who's batty for Halloween! Jorge was a driving force behind our Spirits on First event, and we're so glad that he was a part of this vision becoming a reality!

Check out a few of Jorge's figures that we have in our Current Show online: http://www.jtfolkart.com/currentshow.cfm

Visiting Artist

What a pleasure to have Jamie Moore visit all the way from WITCH-ita, Kansas (pardon the pun). With her man eating plants and her musical trinket box, she hosted a popular table at our debut Spirits on First.

Treasures Galore

Whenever Melissa Menzer unpacks the myriad boxes she has brought, we start smiling! You just can't help but grin when you behold her clever creations. She makes all her faces from clay and carefully paints each one with great detail. We love her collection of antique assemblages.

Spooky Portraits

It takes a village to put on a Halloween art show! That's what we're learning around here anyway. With an eerily fine sense of timing, we received a phone call recently from college student Ginny Martin whose studies focus on special events and art. What a great combination!

Ginny has been a lifesaver as we work through our to do lists and scurry to get everything in order for Saturday's show.

She's shown at our fireside mantel that's full of spooky portraits. With the help of a little hologram action, these images change from dour to dead with the flick of an eye. It's positively creepy!

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Tick tock, the clock is ticking away and we're getting closer to our October 10 Spirits on First event.

Kansas artist Jamie Moore is busy preparing an array of polymer clay and paper clay items sure to amuse you. Her attention to detail is just amazing. You can tell this woman LOVES Halloween!

This is one of her clever handmade creations. It's a fully functioning clock, complete with a graveyard scene that lights up! Thanks to her handy husband, when you tilt one of the tombstones back, it turns the LED light on for a spooky glow.

You can keep up with Jamie's progress at her blog, http://creepycreations.blogspot.com/

If you're a fan of Halloween art, this show is not to be missed. Tell your friends and bring them along (only $5 admission). If you can't make it in person, visit us online at http://www.jtfolkart.com/currentshow.cfm

Event details: Saturday, October 10

10:00am - 4:00pm $5 entry

Dr. Frankenstein

Once we had our idea hatched for a Halloween art show, we knew it would take a special group of artists to make our debut a success. We didn't have to look far to find one of our favorite folk artists, Melissa Menzer. Check out more of Melissa's work on our website at http://jtfolkart.com/

Her Dr. Frankenstein sculpture pictured here is so typical of her unique style. Melissa uses bits and pieces of salvaged treasures to create her "antique assemblages."

For the October 10 debut of Spirits on First, Melissa will have a host of new Halloween art to share. More photos to come!

W is for Witch

Fear not, little tricksters, this Halloween show is sure to be a hit! We can't wait for folks to show up on Saturday, October 10 for Spirits on First in Historic Downtown Sanford, FL.

We have carefully selected a handful of talented artists to bring you the best in Halloween collectibles and unique treasures.

Jorge de Rojas, who works in paper mache with vintage trims and baubles, is a die hard Halloweenie just like us. For the last two years, Jorge has joined us in the gallery during October for a trunk show with his latest creations. The first year was a sell out!

Jorge is a stickler for details and you will marvel at the handiwork of his stand up sculptures and hanging rattles. We can't wait to watch him unpack this year's cast of characters - witches, ghouls, skeletons, cats, and pumpkins galore! Oh my!

A Spooky Idea is Born

Caution! Airports can be fertile places for the birth of new ideas. So I discovered when traveling last year with my business partner. While waiting for our flight, and during our journey, we hatched an idea that is just now coming to fruition - a Halloween Art Show!

Both of us are positively giddy when it comes to celebrating Halloween. It seems that this wacky holiday just brings out the kid in us. We still love a good case of the goosebumps, a wicked grin, or a cauldron boiling over with cackles.

If you're in the same club, you'll be thrilled to hear about our debut show, Spirits on First, a juried art show created for those with a passion for Halloween.

There are several well known shows of this genre, like the "Halloween and Vine" event that has been gathering faithful followers for over a decade. We're bringing the fun to East Coast fans to have their own version and start new traditions. We hope you'll join us!

More blog entries will keep you posted on our progress....stay tuned!