The Box of Astaroth - The Emerald Tablet Edition
Another Box of Astaroth leaves the studio featuring the famous print by the great Mathias Merian. My client wanted a box for a performance based on ancient magic and Alchemy so we agreed that the Emerald Tablet would be perfect.
The engraving, Tabula Smaradina (“Emerald Tablet”) is Merian’s interpretation of the alchemical cosmology, a schemata and representation of the order of things. It first appears in Johann Daniel Mylius Tractatus III Seu Basilica Philosophica (1618) and makes subsequent appearances in other works by the author, as well as in Lukas Jennis’ Musaeum Hermeticum (1625).
In its simplest interpretation the Emerald Tablet shows the opening of a complex heaven and the delivering of the philosopher’s stone to the earth.
In this piece, the spirit bell is suspended from a ribbon rather than a hook so not to detract from the image inside the lid. All of the components are antique and pre 1890, the interesting pewter pot dates from 1853 and is hand engraved.
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She's Alive!!!
Here's the long awaited Dolly Darko update you've all been waiting for. I know that I said that this would be Dolly Darko MkII week, however I totally forgot about the bank holiday and that we had family visiting. This means my usual studio time has been spent entertaining the troops, although even given the limited time I have made great leaps forward in the design process.
Dolly's new cracked ceramic finish still retains the nasty pallor of the original but gives it a new look that I think is an improvement. The previous painting method could not be used as it would melt the 3D printed doll parts, this method also produced inconsistent finishes. Once painted there's no way of telling she's a 3D printed model, in fact she feels a cross between delicate porcelain and traditional paper mache. The original Dolly weighed a ton, this new one is a fifth of the weight. In true Wurzel Gummidge fashion the heads are also swappable allowing users to tailor performances and it also gives me the opportunity to exploit a marketing opening and produce a collection of heads!
Without giving too much away technically the chips I use inside Dolly can be programmed very easily, by simply plugging in a USB cable you can define -
The angle the head turns
The delay from pressing the button to the head turning.
The time it waits looking left or right before returning to centre
The speed in which her head turns and much more
I'm also working on making her arms raise as is she is begging to be picked up. Space inside the doll is limited but theoretically the triggers that make dolly move can be either manual, remote control or by sensor .i.e movement or light. The programmable chips also mean that future updates, new features and custom performance programs can be installed by the user with ease.
The floating version of Dolly Darko will be a separate product. The prototype at this stage can lift her head, stand, walk and then float seemingly unassisted. Some clients have contacted me worried that this turns bizarre performance into some form of strange puppetry. I have reassured them that the story that accompanies Dolly Darko MkII gives a certain validity and reason for the 'puppet show' whilst still maintaining a visually disturbing yet entertaining performance.
Those attending Doomsday VII in Whitby in two weeks will hopefully be able to see Dolly Darko MkII on display. You never know, she may even look at you and wave...
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Ann: the haunted doll webcast
For those waiting on news of Dolly Darko MkII here's something to give you a creepy doll fix. Ann: The Haunted Doll as you will soon read has all the typical tropes of a routine we bizarrists have been conjuring up for years. The mental asylum, the caretaker, the doll, the death of a young girl – I could've written this myself, but I didn't! Do think it's true or just a publicity stunt to boost viewing numbers of The Haunted Collector on Destination America? I'll leave that choice up to you...
People often think of ghosts haunting buildings or people, but haunted objects have fascinated GHOST HUNTERS for ages. Now, the network that brought you EXORCISM: LIVE! is giving ANN: THE HAUNTED DOLL her own live webcast. Destination America is devoted to telling the stories of the unknown, from alien encounters, to the quest for Bigfoot, and now, Ann. DestinationAmerica.com has partnered with THE LINEUP - a hot new digital destination for fans of true crime, horror, the mysterious, and the paranormal - to broadcast ANN: THE HAUNTED DOLL to the masses, 24/7. Check the live stream any time in the next two weeks at DestinationAmerica.com or THE LINEUP to check if Ann moves, blinks, cries, or does her signature move, waves.
Ann is currently living in The Lineup's New York offices under constant surveillance via web cam, and the office has already reported strange occurrences since Ann's arrival, such as hearing faint cries and experiencing technical difficulties with the feed. After two weeks, it will be time for Ann to move on to a new, loving family. Anyone interested in giving Ann a proper home can enter to win by stating why they would make the best caretaker for ANN: THE HAUNTED DOLL.
So who is Ann? The original Ann was a 13-year-old girl treated for tuberculosis at Waverly Hills Sanatorium in the early 1900s. One of Ann's caretakers a very devoted and attached woman named Lois. When the children succumbed to their illnesses, it was believed that the spirits followed Lois home, hoping she would continue to care for them. Lois began her doll collection to help house the unfortunate souls, and while she has since passed, she kept a detailed journal about all of her dolls. Lois claims that Ann was terrified of the dark and that her spirit, who lives on in the doll, still cries out in the middle of the night. Paranormal investigators called in to examine Ann have reported a severe drop in temperature and strange odors in her presence, and there have been reports of a tear running down Ann's cheek, as well as waving motions in her right arm.
No one is more fascinated by haunted objects than John Zaffis, a paranormal investigator and demonologist who has specialized in this type of haunting for nearly four decades, and works to remove any unwanted ghostly objects from peoples' homes. His research is the focus on HAUNTED COLLECTOR, currently in network premieres on Destination America on Tuesdays at 10/9c. In HAUNTED COLLECTOR, John and his paranormal team travel to help various people in need by identifying and removing any trigger objects that may the source of unwanted activity. Through the years, he has amassed thousands of possessed objects that he keeps in his bizarre museum, where visitors report feeling an evil presence upon entering the building.
OBSERVATION LOG
Pre-Live Cam
We unboxed Ann, who was wrapped tightly in bubble wrap, without incident. (Watch the video.)
Over the next couple days, we worked around Ann, setting up the camera feed in a large storage closet, where she’s currently living. During that time, a few strange things happened.
• Two coworkers, whose desks are against the wall that separates the main office space from Ann’s room, heard a faint whining noise. One person even asked the whole room to be silent because she was positive she heard a child crying. No one else heard this noise.
• Two different coworkers set up an EMF sensor near Ann while they were working in her vicinity. The meter was silent the whole time. Then one of them asked her a direct question: “Hello, Ann. Welcome to our office. Do you like your new home?” Twenty seconds later, the detector’s light started flashing and wouldn’t stop. We haven’t seen it light up since.
• The day after the live feed was finally established, a coworker arrived at the office and noticed the feed had stopped at 8:27 p.m. the previous night. He went into Ann’s room and saw the magnetic power cord that attached to the laptop had been physically disconnected. No one was in the office at that time.
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The Lake of Fairies
I've always been wary of mirrors; since I was a child, I felt they may be portals to other dimensions, where things can come through if you're not careful. This is an example on a greater scale, a whole lake becoming a mirrored portal where, on the 14th night of every lunar month the 'wee folk' emerge from their world into ours...
Lake Saif-ul-Malook – ranked by The Guardian as the fifth best tourist destination in Pakistan - seems like heaven on earth. The greenish-blue crystal clear and freezing water, surrounded by giant glaciers, including Malika Parbat, reflects the beauty of Saif-ul-Malook.
The history of this exquisite lake is much famous and attracts the tourists from all over the world. The story is about a prince, Saif-ul-Malook, who fell in love with a fairy princess, Badi-ul-Jamal.
The tale was transformed into a poem by Sufi saint and Punjabi Hindko poet, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh. The same poem was translated into Urdu language by a resident of Balakot, Ahmed Hussain Mujahid. According to the locals it is a place of fairies and demons, who through the extremity of weather display their anger.
A story teller narrated: “I have not seen the fairy, but I’ve seen the glory of God. Every month, on the 14th night of the lunar month, the lake is like a mirror - cradling the mountains, the sky, the innumerable twinkling stars, the glowing orb of the moon – so still, so clear, you can scarcely tell the between reality and reflection. It is a sight to behold! Many a night I have also seen lights, floating lights, a thousand floating lights, here on the slope, where and watched them disappear under the rocks. I have not seen the fairy, Badi-ul-Jamal, but I have witnessed the glory of God.”
Saif-ul-Malook was a prince of Egypt. He had a handsome amount of treasure which he inherited from his forefathers. Inscribed on the treasure were two seals; one bearing the image of Said and the other one being that of Badi-ul-Jamal.
When Saif saw the picture of the fairy he immediately fell in love with her. He then left his home to search for her, a journey that took six years to complete. One day a saint met Saif in a street of Egypt and gave him a Sulemani cap, telling him that it will take the prince to his desired place. The saint told the prince that he would find the fairy in a lake but he had to pass several daunting exams and also pray in order to achieve her, as she was a fairy queen and prince was human. A human eye can never see a demon or fairy as they are “fire borne”.
Saif reached the place and started a Chilla (pray for 40 consecutive days). Day by day his health get worst but he didn't give up and prayed. After praying for 40 consecutive days without food and rest he became exhausted and weak. It was the 14th night of that month and he thought, "Maybe tonight I'll see her." Then suddenly he saw the fairy queen coming along with her maids towards the lake for bath. She was extremely beautiful with dark black hairs and radiant eyes. She was truly a sight to behold.
After talking to Badi-ul-Jamal, Saif came to know that she was trapped in a castle at Koh Qaf by Safaid Deyo (white giant) for the past 10 years. The white giant was also in love with the fairy. After listening to the story of the fairy queen, Saif took her and tried to escape from this valley. When the white giant came to know of this he created turbulences out of anger in this lake, as a result of which flood came in Kaghan Valley. They (the fairy and the prince) hid in a cemetery few miles away from Naran, but due to the flood Saif and Badi-ul-Jamal took shelter in a cave near the lake.
Legend has it that the Ansoo Lake in Kaghan Valley, a few miles away from Saif-ul-Malook, was created out of the tears of the white giant when he found out that the fairy was gone. According to the classic fable, the prince and the fairy queen still live, to this day, in that cave and dance above the water surface on the 14th night of every lunar month.
Guillermo del Toro's Bleak House Exhibition
The highlight of my career without a doubt is not only completing a series of private commissions for Guillermo del Toro but delivering them to Bleak House and getting a personal tour of his entire collection as well as Bleak House 2.
From July part of his collection will be featured at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Although I have no idea if my work will be part of the 500 selected pieces you can see Dolly Darko and Crookes' Residual Ectometron in his book 'The Cabinet of Curiosities'.
Though the house serves as inspiration and a point of reference for del Toro, his wife and daughters want no part of it. They don’t live in Bleak House or Bleak House 2, which serves strictly as a work space. But there’s certainly an audience for his beloved collection. The exhibit will live at LACMA between July and November. After that, it will head to Minneapolis, Toronto, Mexico City, Barcelona, Paris, and New York.
I'm on Bad Acid...
I'm very proud to credited as an Occult Consultant on 'Bad Acid', the debut short film from writer/director David Chaudoir.
The story of a washed up cabaret hypnotist, it blends hypnotic suggestion, hallucination and demonic apparition in a wry, tragically comedic, dark fantasy, exploring the fleeting nature of fame. Marvin gets what he wished for, but not in the way that he wanted.
Bad Acid references the magical number three; three failed performances, three wishes and finally three deaths.
Bad Acid is the writer/director’s love letter to the films of Amicus and Hammer from the 1970s.
David Chaudoir, writer/director, has worked for 25 years in UK Broadcast Television and associated crafts. He has directed award winning promotions for “The Walking Dead” and “The Wire” and music videos for bands such as Athlete and Starsailor.
Sukey Richardson, producer, has produced/production-managed a range of features, documentaries, commercials and short films including Toby Stephen’s In Vitro (2015).
Bad Acid stars Tristan Beint as deluded narcisist Marvin Maskelyn, Madeleine Bowyer as his long suffering manager and Tiffany Haynes as the ill fated Bella. Detective Chetwyn is played by William Kempsell.
Those attending Doomsday South in November will also be privileged to see a private screening as well as meet David. We also interviewed him in the pre-production phase on The Mystic Menagerie Podcast Episode 7.
Find out more about the film at: http://www.BadAcidFilm.com and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4883224/.
The Return of the Rossendale Fairies
Manchester artist John Hyatt took some photographs of the landscape around Rossendale in Lancashire. But when he later enlarged those he images he noticed they showed tiny winged creatures that looked like fairies.
While I agree that whatever the creatures are in the image do have a human form I am still sceptical. The image below shows John's image (left) compared to one I took in my garden with no post editing and on a dull day. They are very similar and at least one Mayfly resembles a human in flight.
This does not mean to say that I am critical of John's work, in fact I applaud it and the following story published in the Lancashire Telegraph only highlights the positive aspect of keeping our ancient folklore alive. Everyone I know who actively 'promotes' the old beliefs and ways is an artist of some discipline and has received some form of positive experience or good luck, and in John's case he a living testament to that fact.
The following was published in The Lancashire Telegraph 13/04/2016 -
Magical fairy find helps man through recovery
TAKING photographs whilst out on a country walk ended up as a life-changing experience for John Hyatt.
While rambling in the Rossendale Valley he had snapped what he believed to be a cloud of insects.
But on closer inspection he wondered if they could be something more.
After the photographs went on display at The Whitaker Rossendale Museum & Art Gallery, they were picked up by the national papers and the so-called Rossendale Fairies went viral around the world.
Takings at the Whitaker increased by 600 per cent during their showing and the venue went on to win the Lancashire Cultural and Tourism Award the following year.
Since then John, 57, an international artist and professor of Art and Design at Manchester Metropolitan University, is regularly contacted by people all over the world wanting his advice on how to find and contact the ethereal beings.
People have traditionally been fascinated by fairies best illustrated by the Cottingley Fairies where young girls Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths produced a series of photographs in 1917 claiming to show fairies but later exposed as a hoax.
The professor, also former lead singer of the post-punk/indie rock band The Three Johns, went on to produce a series of fairy-inspired art work and has just finished working on a community film with children and young homeless people from East Lancashire.
He said: "It went viral around the world so people have been sending me photographs.
"Some lads in Israel asked me for my advice on how to go and find fairies.
"I gave them my advice and some tips on how to use a camera and they sent me some in Israel."
Since the intriguing images were taken in 2014 the professor has been careful not to reveal the exact location where they were taken.
He said: "They were just taken in the Rossendale Valley.
"I won't be more specific because I don't want people going and trashing it.
"You'd be surprised how many people have told me they want to go there.
"I was out with my camera deliberately trying to photograph fast moving things.
"I didn't actually see them with the naked eye because they were moving fast. I went back home and looked at them on the computer and then I realised what I'd photographed."
The professor himself who has lived in Rossendale for more than 30 years, is ambiguous about whether the creatures he snapped on his Nikon D40X were fairies.
"A lot of people think they are. I did a talk at Oxford Natural History Museum and they did an investigation of the photos. It's their livelihood so they came down on the side that they are insects but they still asked me to go down and give a talk.
"But I have always stayed on the fence deliberately. Because the interesting thing about them going worldwide was to see the world's reaction to them.
"I don't know what they were. I know they were interesting photographs. I went out for the next few days and took more photographs but every photograph that I took looked like insects."
After his strange experience in the Rossendale professor Hyatt began to research all he could about fairies.
Contrary to modern belief fairies were not always pictured as good and friendly beings.
He said: "I did quite a lot of research from reading folk tales, Irish, Japanese and South American. Everywhere has them. It is not like it is a locational phenomena."
Fairies were even mentioned in the works of the Irish poet WB Yeats in his attempts to define Irishness.
And hundreds of years ago parents sometimes believed their child had been replaced by a fairy changeling, he added.
"The original fairies in Britain were black fairies and they weren't tiny they were human-sized. It goes back to when the forest was predominant.
"Rossendale was all forest and it was the predominant feature of the landscape."
Professor Hyatt believes that the tradition of the Britannia Coconut Dancers of Bacup blacking their faces may also originate from fairy folklore.
"I don't think they realise they go back to this idea of the fairies coming out of the forest and their black faces come from folktales," he said.
He discovered that traditionally they were seen as harbingers of misfortune. Ironically whilst the media storm over the fairies was going on he was diagnosed with throat cancer but has since made a full recovery.
"I think that's why fairies symbolise death as they are creatures from the other side. Certainly in a lot of fairytales they are dangerous. I wasn't going through anything when I saw them. The day the photos went viral I was diagnosed with throat cancer so it was quite interesting in a sense that for the first month of the fairies going viral I didn't have any time to worry about having throat cancer because I was talking to people all around the world."
The professor who is a vegan, believes he may have seen the creatures because he has an open mind.
"If they want to show themselves to you then they will. I've got a completely open mind. I think a completely open mind is a prerequisite for meeting them.
"The interesting thing is that the people that didn't believe were very abusive and felt that their world was threatened - if they didn't have a very rigid attitude to reality everything would crumble."
The fairy photographs have also led to new inspiration in his art work, he adds.
"When I was ill I painted every day to keep myself positive. It's automatic painting as if the picture forms of its own accord. I'm quite open-minded. I think the world is a lot more interesting than we generally give it credit for and quite often normal everyday things are interesting if you pay attention."
The Box of Astaroth - The Garden of Earthly Delights Edition
Nothing conveys the spiritual struggle between good and evil and the rewards and consequences of heaven and hell more than a Hieronymus Bosch painting. The prevalent theme of death and the afterlife in his art has always been something I've wanted to incorporate into my work. A recent commission for a Box of Astaroth came up and I found a beautiful antique glass panelled box. Rather than board them up I decided to fit the two outer panels from Bosch's triptych 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' with very pleasing results.
The Box of Astaroth is my own interpretation of the classic Astro Ball Cabinet. All of the components are antique and pre 1890. Rather than spending hours ageing wood and distressing metal I spent the valuable time sourcing the parts to create something completely unique and undeniably old.
As well as the standard 'ball to glass' routine I have added a spirit bell. Once the spirit it present, the brass bell is hung inside the cabinet and it will ring back in response to questions in typical séance fashion. The bell can be substituted for any item that makes a noise such as a music box or tambourine, even whispers or the faint sound of a child singing. Of course, you can still perform the 'sponge ball into glass routine' if channelling the dead isn't your thing. Like all magic, once you have great mechanics the only limit is your imagination.
This particular piece has a cremation urn and the doll of an old man, the spirit of the man is summoned and asked to place the doll inside the urn. The eeriest part of this performance is hearing the scuffs, knocks and bangs as the doll climbs into the urn, all out of sight of course. The drawer also contains photographs the a genuine receipt for the purchase of a grave plot dated from the early 1900s.
Since I posted the images and demo video on my Facebook page last year I have had a huge influx of requests for 'The Box of Astaroth' and a waiting list is growing! If you'd like to join the 'Box of Astaroth' waiting list please contact me here and I will offer the boxes as they become available.
A Field Guide to Fairy Trolls
It's ironic that fairies should attract trolls. They seems to be the perfect bait to lure the creatures from their caves and beneath their bridges. André Øvredal, director of 'Troll Hunter' should take note if he ever plans on making a sequel – fairies can certainly bring out the worst trolls imaginable!
When the hoax first emerged back in 2007 I received thousands of e-mails from around the world, a quarter of which were from various species of 'Fairy Troll' (although the term 'Internet Troll' did not exist then as far as I know). I should also point out that unlike other breeds of Internet Troll, Fairy Trolls are always female and borderline illiterate. I've come to the conclusion that this might not always be due to low IQ (although Trolls are renown for being dumb, ask any D&D player) but partially due to fat fingers mashing other letters and cats wandering across the keyboard. Ok, I admit that in my mind's eye I imagine the authors of these e-mails to be rosy and plump wearing clip-on butterfly wings, surrounded by a chorus of cats and knee deep in empty chocolate wrappers and Disney DVDs. Of course, I'm probably wrong, right?
The Common Telling-Off Troll
The mildest form of Fairy Troll, this non-confrontational breed is the literary equivalent of someone shaking their fist at you from across a couple of garden fences. They rarely use foul language and are the most articulate when it comes to dishing out a rollocking. I imagine the 'Common Telling-Off Troll' to be better at male interaction with a lower appetite for cake and cats. Here's an example (nothing has been edited from these original e-mails) -
-13-07-2010-
I must admit, I did not find it funny. lolz Though I'm sure alot of people around the globe must have been quite miscellaneous with your prank. Especially those that love their fantasy+probably hope/believe in fairies/fantasy creatures. awww hahaha+you're right. It will be one thing you won't forget in a heartbeat. Maybe something you will always remember. ? ;-)
Be careful with your creations. You might see a goblin or a leprachaun one day. Maybe evena mermaid or a unicorn in your garden. Hahaha ? :-0
The Catty Ranter Troll
This slightly larger Troll blurts out angry paragraphs laden with phrases designed to evoke a sense of guilt within the reader. Catty Ranters believe in glittery flower fairies and are commonly found nailing fairy doors to trees in parks and leaving acorn cups full of raspberry lemonade outside. They will also usually own a minimum of ten cats and have some mild form of diabetes. Example -
-02-10-2014-
You sir are an asshole. Purposely revieling fake remains and playing on the thoughts of other people just to observe what happens for your sick and twisted "experiment" is morally wrong and indecent! I happen to believe in magical things and to prey on innocent people who hope for something more in life is just sick and wrong. I truely don't know how you live with yourself. If someone found a real magical being now who would believe it even if it was real?! You have singlehandedly wrung the hopes and dreams out of people I know and love and because of your damn HOAX they decided not to believe or have hope anymore. How dare you! I hope somone really does find something amazing and you never hear or see of it! That way you are denied the fullfillment of your hopes and dreams like all of the vicitms of your fucking prank!!!
The Death Threat Troll
Finally, the 'Death Threat Troll'. Dark, brooding and nasty, this troll will pull every trick in the book to break you. They usually hold you responsible for the death of someone or something and then direct the same fate at you (but in a more brutal and sometimes bloody way). These trolls can be found under bridges in the grounds of high security mental facilities. Internet access is still allowed but limited hence the hastily typed splurge of vitriol devoid of punctuation. They would own cats if pets were allowed and chocolate is only available on visiting days hence their physical health is generally better than other Troll species. Glittery lace and wire butterfly wings are also replaced with crayon coloured paper thus removing sharp objects and the ability for them to be weaponised...
-24-02-2009-
You derserve to die you fucking shatterer of dreams my 6yo daughter is terminally ill and the photos of a real fairy gaveher the hope to fight the illness but now you have said it is a hoax she has lost all hoep and is slipping away because of YOU you have ruined our life you BASTARD I hope the same happens to you FAIRIES are real and you have destoyed the hoopes and dreams of millions you have upset them and they WILL KILL YOU I hope they cut the breaks on your car and you crash and DIE you FUCKER my daughter has hours left so I must go and be by her side DESTROYER OF DREAMS DIE!
I originally had hundreds of Fairy Troll e-mails which had been sent to my lebanoncircle@gawab.com address. Gawab was a free e-mail service based in the middle east that I had used for a number of years however, 5 months after the hoax they deleted my account. I lost every piece of correspondence regarding the fairy hoax and although I requested a log of my e-mails my requests went unanswered. The messages used in the examples above were received via Facebook and they still keep coming through much to my amusement.
I now consider myself an authority on 'Fairy Trolls' as well as 'Mummified Fairies'. New species are being discovered daily and knowing that my art has touched so many nerves with such negative results makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Keep them coming!
Guys & Dolls Part 3 - Head like a Hole
After some tinkering in MeshMixer the first Dolly Darko head 3D print was faultless. As the print is completely hollow the print time was less than an hour which opens the possibility of printing a full doll in a single day.
The print is also extremely light with the fully painted head weighing in at only 24 grams which means a complete doll should weigh around 200 grams fully clothed. For people worried about the weight and feel of the doll, you'd be surprised it was made of plastic as the material once painted feels more like traditional paper mache. In no way does it feel or look like it was made using cutting edge technology.
The paint finish on the head is slightly over the top but I wanted to see how battered and nasty I could make her. A more toned down, cared for antique look will also be available to the more faint hearted.
The printer is currently churning out the torso so a full doll might feature in next weeks blog.
The Mystic Menagerie Podcast Episode 19 - Mat Fraser from American Horror Story, Arthur Uther Pendragon & Portals
Some of you may or may not be aware that I am the producer and co-host of the highly successful Mystic Menagerie Podcast, a monthly delve into the alternative arts, paranormal and fortean news from around the globe.
This month we interview Mat Fraser, star of American Horror Story Freakshow. Mat was born with phocomelia of both arms, due to his mother being prescribed thalidomide during her pregnancy. Rather than see this as a disability Mat has embraced life and over the years has achieved theatrical notoriety, performed with Coldplay during the Paralympics and stared in numerous films and TV shows around the world.
We also have the honour of being knighted live on air by Arthur Uther Pendragon, eco-campaigner and battle chieftain of the Council of British Druid Orders. King Arthur tells us about his activism at Stonehenge and how he became the great man he is today.
In our regular feature with the Fortean Oracle – Nathan Sarea, we discuss interdimensional portals and the possibility of their existence. Recording this section of the podcast was plagued with technical difficulties we had never previously experienced. Missing audio files, mysterious tones and signal dropouts made us aware we were dabbling in a corner of the occult that might be best left alone!
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Guys & Dolls Part 2 – Dolly Darko goes digital
Dolly Darko has come a long way since I discovered her dusty body in a Parisian antique shop over a decade ago. She's been entombed in silicone and cracked and dropped so many times the original bisque doll is a sorry sight. The moulds used to create the forty or so Dolly Darko dolls are also on their last legs and have begun to fall apart.
In an attempt to immortalise Dolly in the digital realm I have started the task of 3D scanning all of the parts. Not only will this allow me to reproduce Dolly once again without the need of casting and moulding equipment but I will also be able to digitally restore any damage thus making her perfect once again. At some point in the past her right thigh was totally destroyed however, through 3D scanning I've been able to scan the left thigh and mirror it via the software editor to make a brand new right thigh.
Once all of the components are scanned and saved I can print Dolly in any size and colour but more importantly, I can print her with a hollow torso and head. This gives me the opportunity to install servos and other gadgetry that will make Dolly even scarier than her resin counterpart. It will also make her 80% lighter than the original which introduces the possibility of puppetry. A doll version of Losander's floating table anyone? By implementing this amazing new technology it is all possible, although the journey to get this far has been one hell of a steep learning curve!
As well as capturing Dolly Darko digitally I have also started to capture all of my other existing antique doll and vent doll heads for future projects. Even if one should become lost or damaged I'm only a few hours of printing away from a new one. It's a facility that will become invaluable in the studio and I'll never have to endure my collectibles to the rigours of silicone and latex ever again. As strange as it sounds, the ability to scan and reproduce any object leaves you with an almost god like feeling!
Next time I will compare a few test prints with the original parts of Dolly Darko in terms of detail and weight. It finally looks like Dolly Darko MkII could be a chilling reality, only this time she'll be much scarier than before...
Guys & Dolls Part 1 – Vent Yourself
After a few years of successful 3D printing the next logical progression was to purchase a 3D scanner. I had been monitoring the market for a while but nothing was available that fitted my criteria at a reasonable price, that was until the Einscan-S came along. This scanner adopts structure white light scanning technology, which features faster scanning speed (3 minutes /circle, much faster than similar desktop 3d scanners), lower noise, better details (accuracy ≤0.1mm) and safer for eyes compared to laser scanning technology. What does this mean to the non-techie? It means I can scan a human face, manipulate and print it at any size. So like me, if you're in the business of making creepy dolls this type of tool creates endless possibilities.
Taking inspiration from Evelyn Poole's collection of voodoo ventriloquist dolls from Penny Dreadful Season 2 I have started a mini project to 'vent' myself. There's something very peculiar about holding an exact copy of your own face in the palm of your hand. The process is quick and significantly less messy than entombing someones head in alginate and creating casts with buckets of plaster. The first scan was printed in white ABS and once the eyes were added my face came alive. Followers on Facebook will have seen me attaching my 'mini me' to various dolls with truly disturbing results.
When you invest money into a piece of kit like this the first thing that crosses your mind from a business perspective if how you're going to recoup that money. Having only played with my new toy for 2 weeks I can see that 3D scanning and printing will become the workhorse of the studio and my mind is overflowing with ideas and possibilities. Personalised ventriloquist dolls are just a start and I already have people lining up to donate their faces and be immortalised in plastic. I'm one step closer to my Braavos 'Temple of Many Faces'. Valar morghulis!
Next week work begins on Dolly Darko MkII...
The FeeJee Mermaid Sideshow Barker Box
After exhibiting the FeeJee Mermaid at numerous events over the past few years you can imagine that I became tired of explaining what she was, where she came from etc, so I had an idea...
I found an antique church collection box and installed some mp3 electrikery to create the 'Automated Sideshow Barker'. Just insert an old English penny and an informative tale ensues!
Here are a few additional images of completed Feejee Mermaids. Anyone familiar with my Mummifed Fairy Workshop kit I funded via Kickstarter a few years back may be interested to know that a Feejee Mermaid project is also in the pipeline so watch this space.
Drones in Haunted Zones #1 - Ambergate Wireworks
Please note that the following footage and images were taken without breaking into or setting foot inside the buildings. The drones were flown through open windows and piloted remotely by FPV.
In a new series of blog posts my son and I head to derelict and mysterious places and document them with images and film using drones. This amazing technology allows us to get a new perspective on these neglected places without endangering ourselves or disturbing the environment.
Ambergate Wireworks, Derbyshire
As you wander along the Betty Kenny Trail in Ambergate, Derbyshire (see previous blog post) you will eventually stumble upon a huge derelict factory. This vast complex of forgotten buildings contains not only acres of factory space but rows of cottages, a laboratory, a water powered generator and a brooding mansion set atop of a hill overlooking the decay below. Those familiar with the Mothman Prophecies would immediately agree that this place has a similar vibe to the old saw mill where the creature supposedly lived.
The following information is from various internet sources -
In 1867 Richard Johnson and his nephew opened the wireworks and employed over 500 people. This successful factory produced the telegraph wires used under the English channel during WW2 and the suspension cables for Sydney Harbour Bridge. In 1990 the Bridon company took over production which lasted until 1996 when all wire production ceased. The complex is now owned by the Lichfields and some parts are still leased as storage however, the bulk of the buildings have been left to rot.
In a grand position overlooking the Derwent Valley and the abandoned wireworks is Oakhurst House.
The mansion was built in 1848 by industrialist Francis Hurt and was designed to house his three unmarried daughters, thereby freeing up Alderwasley Hall, his main seat, for his male heir.
Hurt's plans never materialised, however, and his daughters did not move into the house. Instead it was bought by the Thewlis Johnson, part of the wirework business. The house remained a possession of the wireworks during the later 19th and early 20th centuries, with some alterations being undertaken during the 1890s.
In the 1970s Oakhurst House was converted into flats; however, with the bankruptcy of the wireworks and the deteriorating condition of the building, the flats were abandoned in the late 1970s. Since then, the house has remained unoccupied and is now derelict and a partial ruin.
A few years back it was for sale for £1 but it had to be restored back to it's original glory.
Drones – Parrot Bebop & DJI Phantom
Music – Mirrored Theory 'We Follow Patterns'
For more music check out his Soundcloud page here
The Occult Review
As society was still left reeling from the Cottingley Fairies incident the amount of articles on fairy folklore rose exponentially. This refreshed interest in our ancient lores and heritage started to uncover long forgotten traditions and records about fairies. One of the most popular magazines where you might find such information was The Occult Review published between 1905 and 1951. It contained articles and correspondence by many notable occultists and authors of the day, including Aleister Crowley, Meredith Starr and Walter Leslie Wilmshurst to name but a few.
Take this excellent feature from 1921, written only 4 years after The Cottingley Fairy photographs were taken. It covers the Cottingley incident in great detail but also incorporates other sightings and interactions with less attractive entities. It even points to a particular publication that is said to have preserved the elemental teachings of a very ancient faith. One that might still hold the key to unlocking the door to the world below...
You can read the May 1921 issue of the Occult Review here
And down will come baby, cradle and all... The Betty Kenny Tree
This weekend my son and I headed to Shining Cliff Woods in search of the Betty Kenny Tree. This tree is reputed to be over two thousand years old and has a very interesting story attached. This ancient yew tree claims to be the origin of the nursery rhyme "Rock a bye baby". The story has been well documented and relates to a family of charcoal burners called Luke & Kate Kenyon from the 1700s. They lived in the woods and used the tree as shelter and brought up their 8 children never once stepping foot in a conventional house. Betty would place the babies in the hollow of a branch and rock them to sleep as she worked making charcoal in the forest.
Ironically the path we took is called The Betty Kenny Trail yet it does not lead to the tree nor tell you where it is. I had seen pictures of it before so I know it was in an elevated position in an area of evergreen forest. The area was wet and cold plus the surrounding trees provided no cover so we headed up hill, deeper into the forest away from the river. We eventually reached a dry stone wall that marked the boundary between a patch of moorland and the forest. We decided to follow the wall and then I knew we had reached the right area.
The forest to the right of me became incredibly dense and dark, I commented to my son that it was the darkest I had ever seen. With a thick evergreen canopy and the trees so tightly packed, the light from the midday sun could barely penetrate the forest floor. It was Tolkien's Mirkwood made real. The outside temperature was a bracing 2.5 degrees C yet the forest became strangely humid and muggy as we ventured deeper into the darkness. The anechoic blanket of pine and yew felt like a protective shelter from the imminent snow and wind.
We finally found the Betty Kenny tree. In the 1930s the tree had been burnt by vandals so the huge space once occupied by the ancient yew was now empty and open to the sky. The light from above the forest floodlit the tree's remains like a UFO tractor beam. In the darkness of the forest it was impossible to miss.
It was hard to imagine that anyone could live for over a century in this forest let alone raise a family of eight children, one of which is still buried beneath the remains of the tree. It's an eerie spot and other worldly when you stop for a moment and try to imagine what the tree has lived through. And it is still alive, despite being used as a home and almost completely destroyed by fire. With new shoots protruding from the shattered stump it is as if the sympathetic forest does not grow over and shadow the old tree, yet instead allow the light from above through to keep it alive.
The Betty Kenny tree is a special place and one worth visiting if you don't mind wandering from the beaten track...
And you're not afraid of the dark.
An Anciente Mappe of Fairy Land
This incredible image titled ‘An Anciente Mappe of Fairyland: newly discovered and set forth’, was created by Bernard Sleigh in 1917. The map offers a wide birds-eye view style panorama of the island of 'Fairy Land' which it describes as 'newly discovered and set forth'. Fairy Land, as documented by Sleigh, is a wonderful juxtaposition of European fairy tales, literature, and Greek mythology. One can travel from King Arthur's Tomb to Peter Pan's House to the 'Bay of Moaning,' or the visit the roost of Dragons, watch Perseus save Andromeda, chat with Hercules, or visit the 'Harbour of Dreamland.' A red line indicates the route of passage 'From the World' to 'a place that never was and always will be.'
As pointed out by map historian Tim Bryars, this map was printed in 1918, the final year of World War I. Bryars astutely asks -
Could the map constitute a yearning for a return to pre-1914 Edwardian innocence? Compared with the devastated, bomb-blasted landscape of northern France, this vision of a make-believe land may have seemed a seductive escape for a European society bearing the psychological and physical scars of mass conflict.
Another approach to this map is to study it within the context of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Sleigh was a close associate of Robert Morris and this map clearly follows Arts and Crafts Movement ideology. The typeface and decoration are very much in the style of Morris's Kelmscott Press and its embrace of tradition pre-industrialproduction techniques.
You can view the full version here, zoom in and explore away!
3 Day Mummified Fairy Workshop
Nine years ago I did something that would change my life completely….
April 1st 2014 marks the 9th anniversary of the Derbyshire Mummified Fairy Hoax. Dubbed one of the greatest hoaxes of all time, the iconic images of a tiny fairy corpse in a forensics lab captured the imagination of the world and is still going viral to this day.
The original mummified fairy inspired a multitude of similar creations, some good, some bad and the internet is awash with tutorials and speculation on how the original was made. These range from a dead spider monkey to full blown conspiracy theories that the fairy was actually real and I was forced by the government to reveal it as a hoax.
It’s time to lay those theories to rest and reveal how the iconic fairy was really made.
I will be hosting a small workshop for up to 12 people and personally take your through all aspects of the fairy build as well as give you all a private lecture, discussion on the mummified fairy hoax and a tour of his 'exhibits'.
The workshop will be held at Hotel zum Zauberkabinett nestled in the beautiful Bavarian hills and only 40 minutes from Munich.
The workshop is aimed at all ages and all abilities. The inspiration for the project ignited when my 13 year old son told me about a friend who wished he knew how to create the mummified fairy.
The workshop would be an ideal entry level OOAK (One Of A Kind) project as well as an interesting challenge for the experienced modeller.
I will reveal the processes in step-by-step detail covering the following topics and more -
Making an Armature
Sculpting the Figure
Dynamic Posing
Fabricating the Body
Applying Hair
Making Wings
Creating Eyes
Building the Armature
Placing Accessories and Wings
Adding Surface Details
Sculpting Hands
Sculpting Feet
Incorporating Natural Materials such as Insect Parts
Sculpting Polymer Clay Heads
All materials and tools are provided and you'll be able to take your fairy away at the end of the weekend.
Workshop Programme
- Friday Evening – Meet & greet dinner and The Dead Fairy Hoax Lecture
- Saturday – All day fairy workshop
- Sunday morning – Complete fairies and finish
IMPORTANT
Please note that the price is for the workshop only, you will need to book accommodation and food separately through the hotel here
The workshop and lecture will also be in English with no translation so please consider this before booking.
The cost is £125 per person and tickets can be booked here
FeeJee Mermaid in 5 Days, Prop Build Project Day 5
Well here it is, day five and what a journey! The mermaid dried perfectly overnight and all that was required this morning was a quick coat of varnish on the claws and a final dry brush to the face. Part of being an artist is knowing when to stop and deadlines make that decision for you (which is why I like them!)
As my mind ticked over in bed last night it occurred to me that to the uninitiated most won’t have a clue what the mermaid is. This usually happens at events where I exhibit my fairies, I have to answer the same question multiple times - “what is it?”, “is it real?” etc…
To pre-empt those questions I thought that with the remaining time I would create a small display and ‘dress’ the prop with artefacts and interesting items that tell a story to the observer.
In addition to the newspaper clipping and faux ivory mermaids I added yesterday I also added a few aged sailor’s personal items such as a maritime compass and sundial and a bosun’s call. I framed a small photo of a Victorian chap standing next to another FeeJee Mermaid and finally added some aged signage to the plinth and an upturned antique tray I had lying around.
Underneath the tray I added an mp3 player and speaker which plays eerie carnival music for added atmosphere.
The whole ensemble creates an eye-catching exhibit worthy of any travelling sideshow and I’m over the moon with the results.
Over the past 5 days I have tried some new ideas, some worked and others didn’t but that is the essence of prop making – experimentation and developing existing methods.
I hope you’ve enjoyed following the blog over the past week. If you have a go yourself please drop me a line and let me know how you’re getting on, I’d be very interested in having a look at your work.
