Painting should not take this long (sneak peek)

These are three stages of a prototype wedding portrait of Catherine Fenwright. It is a composite of several images and it was started on July 17, 2007 and finally approved and finished in September of 2010.

Anyone Here?

It seems I have new visitors. Welcome. As it is with this time of year I am busy and have less time to work on this project. I hope to upgrade my ghosts and I will try to post a picture.

Only Ghost Stories of Course....

I am pleased to announce an extension of this blog. After receiving questions on how I built my props, I decided to start a How-To blog: The Haunted Library  I may even include Christmas projects, but that remians to be seen.

Why Is "Spookhouse" a Dirty Word?

I had such a momentum in September of 2003 after viewing some of Marc Davis' s Haunted Mansion concept art on the wonderful yet sadly defunct GrimGhosts.com.  Ideas started to flow and concepts were crudley drawn hastily in notepaper. I had even decided on a track layout, yet it would be a while before settling on a vehicle. But a vexing problem has been a lack of "stunts" or gags. I have a few ideas, but it seems to lack a certain cohesive theme.





Showing some Spookhouse love Halloween 2004

A slideshow presentation

This is the fourth video slideshow for this project featuring various photographs that give an impression of what is to be featured in the ride. The music is a piece I played on a synthesizer, and manipulated to sound very close to a residential pipe organ. I hope to re-record the piece on a real organ some day.

Information From the defunct MySpace Profile (revised)

The following is a list of the known "residents" and a storyline from a draft of the prologue that will be presented in the foyer among artifacts and newspaper clippings.

First up, residents:

"The house has many spirits, some of whom are trapped within it's walls.The known entities include:
*Nigel Fenwright, Master of the House, deceased July 1895
*Catherine Fenwright, Lady of the House, deceased April 1891
*Horace Gravesworth, family Butler, deceased 1901
*Abagail Johnson, family cook, deceased 1894
*Louisa Johnson, Abagail's daughter, deceased 1894
*Mary Calmett, head Maid, deceased 1890
*Dick Wilkins, groundskeeper, deceased 1893


And now a " report" on missing persons as told by the local paranormal investigators that may be a video presentation:

{UPDATE!!: Since the mansion has long been a hiding place for escaped mental patients and criminals on the run, the Sycamore Springs Sheriff's Department has recorded at least 14 missing persons reports with the person last seen near or around the manor.(Though witnesses are not credible)  These reports include information provided by families and correctional facilities.This number includes local teenagers who have been sneaking in since at least 1956. Also from time to time people claiming to be mediums approach the authorities with requests to visit this historic home, usually the requests are denied, but in the 1940's a "Professor Gloom" was able to visit the mansion and he soon vanished. Local gossip said the so called "professor" was a charlatan and a "flim flam" man and the ghostly evidence he produced in photographs was blurry at best. The gossip continued to say he was run out of town most likley by the husband of one of the many ladies he had charmed. There is also a local legend of treasure buried deep within the cellar walls and few of the townsfolk were apprehended trying to dig a tunnel from the neighboring property. Most likley this so called treasure is old newspapers and some silverware.}

Scary Christmas

Even ghosts celebrate Christmas... and one phantom brings presents to all of the good little ghost and monster children.

You don't know the story, well it's a work in progress, but here it is in it's disjointed glory.
" T'was the fright before Christmas, and all through the house, not a person was sleeping, not even a mouse.
The windows were all shuttered and bolted with care, in hopes of avoidng a ghastly scare.
Settle down, and  pause*, while I tell you about the ghost of Skele Claus.

One Christmas eve not so long ago, he stalked his way through the snow
with an overcoat black as night, wrapped with a chain to add more fright.
With the familiar red hat and straggly white beard, kids saw him and would run with fear.
With eyes that glowed like fire and a bone chilling laugh that filled the halls, They knew on this cold night they were visited by the ghost known as Skele Claus!"


* shortened to "Pause" suggested by AOL friend Apocolypse66

Jeepers Creepers, Where'd You Get Those Peepers?

Two new videos that may be used as ideas for Fenwright Manor from my 2009 Halloween.

Light up eyes

and Bat Spinner

And Heed This Warning.....

Good evening, It has been quite some time since the last post.



I have seen many warning signs in queue lines for rides, so I decided to design a prototype for my haunted house queue line. It has a bit of humor as well as some helpful information, It will include a no food or drink warning, a no flash photo warning, and other safety warnings. 





I am considering making it a black light poster. I felt this sign necessary because I do not need angry parents with crying children saying" This ride was scary.. poor Johnny is balling his eyes out.. nobody told us it was a haunted house ride!" (As if the derilict mansion facade with the boarded up windows wasn't a clue).
until next time...