Coming in September ...

 

Hard to believe that we're publishing our fifth edition of the magazine!

Our journeys have taken us around the world, finding Halloween artists from across the entire US, but also discovering many truly talented artists who reside in regions such as Belgium, Scotland, Canada, even Russia! It's been an absolute pleasure beyond description getting to know all of these artists, learning of their inspirations and techniques, and seeing the continuation of their creations as each year passes.

We'll have much more to reveal about the contents of this upcoming issue... it's full of many captivating things of all hues and styles and textures, all the things that comprise of fall and Halloween. 

You can find our Fall 2023 edition available in September - only a few more months away! - and can order it here (link is on the left) or, if you happen to be at the marvelous Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween show on September 30th in Marshall, Michigan, we'd love to have you come visit us at our booth.

Magic fills the air...  

Sending love to everyone! -

 Love really is all you need!

Ode to a Season -

 

Beautiful autumn, lovely fall...

You are the most enchanting season of all.

Photo taken in October 2022 of a small part of our front lawn decor. Our 'friend' Bertram reclines in a vintage 1920s wheelchair, holding a jolly Jack O'lantern in his lap with equally-jolly Jacks festooning the tree behind him in an homage to Ray Bradbury's classic "The Halloween Tree," our favorite story. We read it every year during October, and admit to never having enough pumpkins and Jacks in our ever-growing collection!

The countdown continues! -

 169 days until Halloween!

                  

"Batty for Betsy" by Ellie Gee. Acrylic paint and ink. 

MacabreWebs Studios, 2021

 

 

Half-way to Halloween!

Happy Witches Day!

Walpurgis (April 30th) is the official half-way point to Halloween.

What better way to celebrate spring and May Day, but with a little song & dance with a group of happy-go-lucky friends? This group of ladies from Germany - Wolfshager Hexenbrut - enjoy a little hip-shaking fun during a Walpurgis celebration in Harz, Germany. 

 The song they're dancing to by Peter Fox, Schüttel deinen Speck, means "Shake Your Bacon," and that indeed they are doing!

184 days until Halloween!!!

Get ready to be Bewitched! -

 The 2023 Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween art show takes place on Saturday, September 30th in the beautiful small town of Marshall, Michigan. 

Hope to see you there this year!

 

 http://www.bewitchingpeddlersofhalloween.com/

 

Important announcement! -

Hey everyone!

 

Like so many of you, I’ve had to suffer the ever-increasing costs of running a small art business from my home. Gone are the days of friendly, low-cost websites such as Etsy which once was a haven for independent artists. As you know, they’ve gone the corporate route, and with that change, an outrageous skyrocketing of costs just to list and sell a single item. For multiple items, it really adds up to the detriment of the artist. It is getting more and more difficult to make any sort of living with your art these days.

 

I don’t create each issue of Autumn Brilliance to try to make a million dollars (though in my wildest dreams, that sure would be nice!), it is done because for the simple fact that it makes me happy and, I hope, makes you all happy, too. I do it every Halloween season because it salves my soul to be creative, and present it to others who also love and appreciate this type of art.

 

The point of the matter is, after weighing my options, doing the math, and going over budgetary constraint scenario for this year, I am using Etsy less and less to sell/promote Autumn Brilliance.

 

 I will use it solely - for the time being - to sell the PRINT version of the magazine.

 

For the DIGITAL versions, I will list all four issues together (Fall 2021, Fall 2022 and the two FREE copies, our Premiere Fall 2020 issue, and special Scary Xmas 2020 issue), through the link below. It is an easy way to pick and choose the digital magazines you want from a handy bookcase type of layout. Simply pick the magazine, put it in your shopping cart, and check out. No jumping through hoops and no extra hidden costs for anyone.

 

And, for those who prefer this digital version, it’s neat, has a zero carbon footprint, and can be viewed from any device, anywhere.

 

http://book.flipbuilder.com/greenbomb101/

 

 

 

 

The world suddenly has less sparkle...

 RIP, Dustin Poche.

The world definitely shines far less brightly now that artist Dustin Poche has left his earthly body for other realms more sparkly and filled with much less pain. He was far, far too young to leave us.

Dustin's work as an artist was the stuff of legend. His artistry inspired us all and lifted our spirits to the greatest heights we never thought possible. From fine art figurative creations, to broad campiness (including his brilliant takes on Joan Crawford, Dolly Parton, Amanda LePore and more) to grande dames, witches, hags, and ghosts, to his exquisite Halloween glam horror (Vampira, Angelica Huston "Morticia" and my personal favorite, Leslie Jordan as "the Little Devil"), his talented fingers wove an irresistible spell from clay, jewelry and antique textiles into astonishingly realistic sculptures and busts full of liveliness and humor, that few others could hope to come close to replicating. Every creation was a true masterpiece. All one had to do was take a look at his art, and you were a fan for life, like I am. Like you are. Like we all will forever be. 

I am so thankful to own an original piece of your art, Dustin - I only wish we could have finally met in person, as we'd planned. How can it be that you have disappeared in a puff of glittery mist from our lives? It was only just a few short days ago that we chatted online about your being the Fall 2023 Spotlight Featured Artist of AUTUMN BRILLIANCE. That plan has not changed, you will indeed be on our cover and inside the pages, in a glowing tribute to the genius of your art and the funny, kind, magnetic personality you were in real life.

Rest in glittery, happy, fierce power, Dustin. Your heavenly angel wings are bright and dazzling, like you were here on earth.  We love you, and you will never be forgotten.

 

http://www.dustinpoche.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pochestudioks

 

The countdown continues! ...

 The bats are stirring in the belfry...

Only 248 days until Halloween!

 

Bright offerings from Sharon Bloom!

Halloween artist Sharon Bloom has a sharp eye for whimsy and color. If you are among her many fans, you'll admit to not having just one of her fabulous ceramic creations in your collection, but lots of them (as I do!). Sharon is a longtime artist at the magnificent All Hallows Art Fest show in Petaluma, California where she wows the crowds each year in September.

You've seen her here in the Fall 2021 issue of Autumn Brilliance magazine where she dazzled us with many of her sweet Halloween sculptural designs.

Just look at these brand new goodies she will be offering in her Etsy store later today, and you'll see why Sharon is a huge favorite among the serious Halloween collector. From collectible plates, trays, bowls and other table wear, to original paintings, sculptures, beautiful wearable ceramic jewelry, tote bags and more, you will find something that makes your heart sing!

I personally love her pumpkins and black cat designs. Each one is brimming over with its own mischievous and unique personality, surrounded by vivid colors and patterns - another hallmark of her brilliant designs, you will never find a dull one! But Halloween is not her only forte, she also dishes up spectacular creations for every season of the year.

Visit Sharon at her Etsy shop:

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/sharonbloom

 

All Hallows Art Fest:

 https://www.facebook.com/allhallowsartfest

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in time...

Much as we hate to think of fast-forwarding our lives and thereby missing out on a lot of wonderful things, we sometimes cannot help ourselves, as we anticipate exciting events that loom on the horizon.

 This photograph above, taken a little over four months ago in late September, 2022 at the fabulous Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween art show, brought on a touch of happy melancholy (is that such a thing?) as I look forward to another road trip up to Michigan for this year's show. 

In the photo, my dear friend Vance and I took a moment to pose as we were setting up our booth. In the background, my husband Mark is busily attending to all the necessary tech stuff (in this case, setting up the TV/DVD to play our Dolly Parton interview which was featured in the Fall 2021 issue - and Dolly looked absolutely stunning in it!) and Scott and Kathy Jean are off to the side somewhere. 

I'm still amazed at how gorgeous the Autumn Brilliance booth turned out. Like a Halloween circus tent wonderland, full of rich billowy fabrics of all textures making up the ceiling and wall, all of which were colored black & orange, of course. Vance and Scott did a fantastic job of creating this booth! Everyone ooh'ed and ahh'ed as they entered and had a look around, which is exactly what we aimed for. It was simply smashing!

There are seven months to go before we endeavor to take on that road trip north, meeting up with our lovely bunch of artist friends in that beautiful little town of Marshall. And, as I said earlier, shouldn't rush time but I just can't help it... I wish that day would hurry up and get here.

Love is in the Air -

These past few days have given us a teasing feel of spring beginning to slowly unfold ... and with it comes brighter days filled with love. We long to finally shake off the frosty cold of winter, feel the warmth of the sun and, of course, stop and smell the roses, don't we?

Valentines Day is just around the corner which means love truly is in the air!

Our Fall 2022 Spotlight Cover Artist, Scott Smith, has another astonishing creation to present that wraps a warm embrace of love all around us, and it truly is gorgeous, isn't it. From the inner workings of his magical Rucus Studio, this Victorian Valentine Rose of pure love is a one of a kind offering, fashioned from papier mache and all manner of delectable textiles. She is nothing less than exquisite, and will forever tug at your heartstrings!

You can find this beautiful, original creation via Scott's eBay link below.

 https://www.ebay.com/usr/nightbeforechristmas

 Please visit Scott's website for more information, and other delightful offerings at the link below.

https://www.rucusstudio.com/

 

 

 

We are forever CHARMED -

 LeeAnn Kress has sweet magic in her hands.

Years ago (as in, over a decade), we happened upon some of her creations and were hooked. Her world of mischievous witches, classic monsters like Frankenstein, jaunty, top-hat wearing ghosts, cats, bats and pumpkins, to name but a few, all created through her "Charmed Confections" shop, forever delighted us and others who followed her works. We thought, holy smokes, Batman, this gal's really on to something! She has that rare ability to snatch a sparkly Halloween essence from the air and make it manifest into a treasure comprised of clay, paint, glitter and whatnot, each of which are indescribably sweet with a touch a naughty thrown in.

Every character elicits a feeling of sheer elation. LeeAnn never fails to bring it. She is amazing! Just ask any one of her many collectors who jump at the chance to add another one of her original hand-made creations to their collection.
 

It was our extreme honor to feature her as our very first Spotlight Featured Artist, in the Fall 2020 premiere issue of AUTUMN BRILLIANCE! Getting to know her as we chose from the many photos of her abundant creations was a pleasure like no other.  You can see LeeAnn's creations by getting your FREE digital copy - just click the link to take you there. 

https://online.flipbuilder.com/pour/iijy/mobile/index.html

LeeAnn had to take some time off all last year, therefore largely missing Halloween, and her legion of fans missed her dearly... but as of early 2023 we're thrilled to announce that she's back in her studio, using her talented fingers and imagination in the most darling ways. 

As we know, Valentines Day shall soon be upon us, and what LeeAnn has brought to the table will delight everyone. How better to proclaim your eternal love than to give the gift of a Poisoned Apple Heart?

Of course, if you'd rather keep it for yourself, it's totally understood, and we will certainly not judge you for it...

She has several different varieties in her shop, and will be happy to paint a custom-colored heart just for you. 

Click on the link below to take you to Charmed Confections. It's a guarantee you'll find something sweet!

 https://charmedconfections.com/

 

  

A word about the fabulous Alycia Matthews -

Honestly speaking, we've ALWAYS loved Alycia's artwork. Everything she creates truly does bring on a sense of Halloween happiness in a literal instant. Great artists will do that to you no matter what, they seem to know how to hit your heartstrings in just the right way. Alycia is not an exception! Try looking at her art and not smiling, it's flat-out impossible.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/alyciasart/

 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063174431437

Whilst putting last year's magazine together, we knew that we really wanted to feature some of Alycia's marvelous creations because, like all of the artists we painstakingly curate and hand-pick, we were eager to share it for all the world to see. Halloween art is important (and is the main reason why this magazine exists in the first place). 

Largely considered "folk art," that is, it's a singular, unique and handmade style, pertaining to a specific genre; in other words, definitely not generic factory-made. Many folk artists have a style that is so unique to them, you can spot it out of a crowd in a split-second, and Alycia's handcrafted papier mache artwork is right there at the top of the list. 

(Which is why we featured this amazing lady in the Fall 2022 issue of AUTUMN BRILLIANCE!)

With the long, frosty, dead of winter months dragging on, so many of us are feeling that palpable sense of blahs, as the landscape remains bleak and bereft of the lively kaleidoscope of foliage that wraps itself around our spirits during the Halloween season. Will autumn and our favorite season ever get back to us, we bemoan? 

Well, fear not, for you can dip your toes into a rich well of colorful delights on January 31st, 2023, by visiting the EHAG (Eclectic Halloween Artists Guild) where Alycia will be offering some exciting new pieces of her art in an event dubbed "Ghoulish Goblins and Other Spooktacular Halloween Treats." 

How could you resist!?

https://ehagemporium.blogspot.com/

Now, imagine our absolute surprise when we received a package in the mail recently ... from none other than Alycia herself. Holding it and wondering, "What in the world could this be?" we carefully unwrapped it and then sucked in a great breath of ecstatic shock ... it genuinely left us at a loss for words. It's a Candy Corn character, grinning mischeivously, and clutching a hand-created mini-copy of AUTUMN BRILLIANCE magazine - the premiere issue, with "Jack," our pumpkin mascot, on the front cover!!! SQUEEEEE! Happy tears! We were left completely speechless at her kindness in bestowing such an exquisite original piece of art on us, but mostly at the unbelievable detail that dear Alycia invested in making it so special.

What else can we say, but that it's perfect, precious, and will be treasured forever. It is in a place of honor, front & center in our glass display cabinet, among the many other original works of Halloween art I've collected over the years from the multitude of my favorite artists... one of which Alycia will always be.

Thank you, Alycia. Thank you so, so much. We love you!

🎃 🎃 🎃

***Keep posted here and on Alycia's websites/Facebook page on the next live appearances she'll be participating in this year!***

Happy Birthday to Dolly Parton! -

If America ever were to have a Queen, she would unequivocally be Dolly Parton. 

There's simply not enough space here to list even a fraction of the many things she's done for humanity, so instead, we'll just go ahead and wish our Butterfly a very loving and happy Happy Birthday!

You can read about Dolly in the exclusive interview she gave us, which you'll see only in the fabulous, super-duper-sized Fall 2021 issue of AUTUMN BRILLIANCE magazine, available here by clicking the link to the left which will take you to our Etsy shoppe.

 We love you, Dolly!

 

 

Counting the days ...

 

 

 

Welcome, 2023! -

 A new year, a fresh start.

What are you planning? Or do you go with the flow? 

Don't forget, Halloween is only 302 days away!