4th Annual Glens Art Walk!

It's official! We have a Date for this year's Glens Art Walk! Mark your Calendars for Saturday, October 13th in historic Lakewood, Colorado. Join us for another round of Halloween delights, both signed reproductions and one of a kind original sculptures. Find all the details along with photos from last year's show on our Events page.



Until then, have a Spooky Summer!

Cheers,
~ Johanna

Hoppy Easter!

BOO! Oh wait, it's Easter! Well, I hope it's SWEET! Trick or Treat :)

Best Wishes to you,
~ Johanna



* Sneak peek at some of my new collectible characters form my 2017 Halloween Transpac line...

Goblins & Ghosties March in!....

The artists of EHAG were presented with their first Halloween Art Challenge of the year, "Goblins & Ghosties!" Oddly enough, I have never created a ghost before... So, this was a fun, outside-of-the-box project for me, and I willingly played along. As a result, "Ghostie Boo" was just born, and what fun I had creating him. You can find a variety of photos and details featuring this unique character on his corresponding eBay Auction page. Thanks to all for taking a peek and for kindly offering a bid if you are so inclined. I also invite you to visit EHAGart's Blog which we will continue to update with the various Goblins & Ghosties that our participating artists have created. ENJOY, and BOO to You!

~ Johanna


* Stylized wire arms of an ethereal nature, raise high and create a spooky sense while framing his sweet ghostie face...




* Recessed teardrop eyes mimic his ghostly form and tend to follow you as you pass by this spooky little spirit!


* A pair of spirits meet on his backside and create an eerily flowing effect.....

Designs & Photos, © 2011 Johanna Parker Design, LLC ~ Photos may not be used without permission

Peek-a-Boo at Home...

As the clock struck midnight, I pondered the thought of capturing a few of my Halloween characters in a haunting, night-time glow. The lights were eerily low as I tiptoed around the room with my tripod and camera. I framed each shot as JP experimented with shutter speeds and apertures that often send my right brain into a land of bewilderment... Together, we spent our Saturday night, or perhaps early Sunday morning capturing scenes of Halloween in our home. It was fun, and then I dreamt about snapping photos all night! Here's a Peek-a-Boo for you..... ~ Johanna


* Here is "Wise ol' Owlexander" from my 2009 collection of Halloween originals. I actually kept a few for myself this year so that I can enjoy their company. This guy rests atop a stack of vintage black candy tins and is the focal point of my Halloween mantel display.


* A warm, eerie glow casts across the mantel which displays a parade of Halloween delights. Vintage tin party horns gifted to me from treasured friends add a glimpse into Halloween's past and make the perfect companions to my Halloween folk art creations.


* A closer look at my reproduction Towering Owl Vase and his Halloween horn friends....


* And there's my reproduction Towering Bat vase guarding an assortment of vintage horns...


* I kept "Sissy Boo" too... I love the haunting overexposed glow that radiates behind her in this image! Yumminess.....


* Across the room, a little witch protects my collection of feathers on my "earth shelf." Here, seashells, collected rocks, feathers and other gifts from nature live harmoniously with my vintage style folk art and other antique finds...


* Again, I had to keep this little wicked witch for myself. She is from my new series of one of a kind Kettle Cups this year....


* And below, my reproduction jack-o'-lantern candy bowl holds an array of sweets and is surrounded by a fun display of Halloween card greetings from special friends, both near and far....

AND, Dear Collector Friends.... I know you love HALLOWEEN just as much as I do! If you collect my Halloween folk art, would you be willing to snap a few photos for me? When I have a moment, I would love to create a Collector's Corner page on my blog, showcasing your displays and Halloween finds.... You can email your photos to me at: johanna@johannaparkerdesign.com THANK YOU for sharing your collections, and I look forward to hearing from you :)

Work in Progress...

Well, given that it's mid August, I decided it was time to switch gears from my sculpting frenzy in order to focus on my painting... What's the point of having a collection of unpainted, naked sculptures when their coloration and pattern really bring them to life! So, this past week, I began to add paint to my various one of kind characters! I have much to do yet, and I realize that I tend to be more meticulous and particular with my painting as each year goes by. I know I should be whipping these guys out by now, but on the contrary ( and much to my frustration ) it seems to take me longer. Oh well. For those of you curious, I snapped a quick pic of my workroom counter....


* A mix of Halloween folk art characters either await paint or a coat of clear finish...

You may also have noticed a couple of new badges on the upper sidebars of my blog. At right, I created a graphic and link to Denver's 4th Annual Halloween Trunk Show. Some of these originals will be offered at this fun event! Click on the badge to visit a collage of images from last year's show along with the date and time details. I hope many of my local collector friends will join us!

Also, at left there is a text link below a graphic referring to my Artist Interview. If you click on the text link, you will be routed to Sally Evan's website. She features creative entrepreneurs, and it is my honor to be her current guest feature! You can purchase either a down-loadable audio file or disc of our hour-plus long conversation. I think you may find it interesting, hopefully inspiring, useful and an insight into my life and career path..... THANKS to all for your interest....

Back to work!
~ Johanna

OH Bats!!!

Just finished this stylin' Halloween Bat Candy Cup, and he's now up for grabs on eBay! He's uniquely fun with his hand-formed, designer wire wings... Take a peek for yourself by clicking on his image! Many thanks to all for your generosity in bids....

~ Johanna


* © 2009 Johanna Parker Design * Halloween folk art bat image is the property of Johanna Parker and may not be used without permission.

CATCH this Black Cat if you can!...

Surprise!... I just finished a new Collector's Catch piece and just posted it on my website! "Sprinkles" the Halloween black cat is ready for adoption! GO TO my Website to see details and be sure to click on the image for more views and descriptions. Please send me an email if you'd like to adopt this flirtatious, one of a kind cat, and later I will update the page to reveal who caught this collectible piece!....

Thanks again for looking!
~ Johanna
CONTACT: johanna@johannaparkerdesign.com

UPDATE!.. My collector friend, Celeste in California caught this kitty in lightning speed! She beat the record! Thank You so much Celeste, and I hope this kitty brightens your night!...

For my Halloween Mommy....

Yes, that's right, I have a Halloween Mommy! Out of all the days in the year, she gave birth to me on Halloween! "Ahhh, no wonder!" you exclaim... :) What a special day that is for the both of us as it rolls around each year. Mom brought me into her creative world and introduced me to the arts, nurturing my imagination and allowing me to express my talents. I feel very fortunate to have had an artistic upbringing, inspired by my mom's love to craft and share her handmade treasures with others. It's interesting to reflect back and see how I've gathered all of these favorite things into one big happy and creative bundle! Thank you mom for inspiring me to do what I love to do... I am so happy to have found my niche thanks to you :)......
Love,
Johanna


* Something new!... And the first one goes to Mom as a gift of gratitude!


* Oh take a look! It opens, and inside she will find an itsy bitsy scroll. I'm calling these candy containers, "Kettle Cups" perfect to hide a little love note in or perhaps some Halloween jewels or candied sweets...


* Unroll the teeny weeny scroll to find a special note for Mom.....


* And the underside is signed with love....


{ That's my Mom pictured above - she's "Mom" to me, Kathy Parker to others..  She lives far far away from me up in Washington state ~ otherwise, I would have given this special gift to her in person and you'd see me in that photo too! }
* I surprised her with a box on Friday, and obviously, she couldn't resist in opening it! The phone rang later, and she was very excited to receive such a special gift. Mom's been collecting my Halloween folk art for several years now, so this little guy will look wonderful in her colonial home, amongst her collection of redware and Halloween collectibles!.. Enjoy Mom, you deserve it :)

PS... I've created a similar black cat kettle cup & just need to add the final touches... He'll be listed on eBay within a couple of days, so stay tuned!...

© 2009 Johanna Parker Design * Halloween Kettle Cup Cat photos are the property of Johanna Parker and may not be used without permission.

Another Halloween Tease!...

Well, I said I would share a few more teaser pics of my latest Halloween prototypes designed for Primitives by Kathy. So, here ya go! Let's hope they are well-received, accepted and placed into production. If all goes well, these pieces along with several others will be available this fall! For now, you'll have to guess what they are :)

~ Johanna









© 2009 Johanna Parker Design * Halloween designs are the property of Johanna Parker and may not be used without permission.

Shake...Shake.....Shake!...

Peek-a-Boo and shake shake shake!... Here are a couple of fun illustrated Halloween shaker prototypes that I just designed for Primitives by Kathy. My fingers are crossed that she likes them and makes LOTS for me to share with you :) Stay tuned for more teaser pics from this fresh new product line. If all goes well, these designs will be out this fall!

~ Johanna




* Peek-a-Boo from two happy Halloween characters that I illustrated!...






© 2009 Johanna Parker Design * Illustrated shakers are the property of Johanna Parker and may not be used without permission.
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BooFest Artist Signing @ Atlanta....

As promised, here are some fun pics from last Saturday's artist signing at Bethany Lowe's showroom in Atlanta! For those of us artists who could come, we were instructed to dress in costume and be ready to sign our names many times over. Since the theme was Halloween (my favorite any time of year!) I decided to dress myself like I would dress one of my Halloween collectibles.... big papier mache buttons, black & white striped arms & legs, orange ruffles and of course one of my illustrated party hats! I seriously looked like a dork, but those who knew my work, understood my silly costume. :-) Enjoy the pictures and thank you to all who left me very sweet comments from my Day 1 posting!... Glad you are enjoying the photos!...

~Johanna


* Me in my silly costume, doing the "ta-da" thing in front of my Halloween product line!...


* A basket full of Halloween character clips that I signed throughout the night....black cats, owls and jack-o-lanterns were all part of the fun...


* Buyers line up to snag a collection of complimentary goodies and autographs from all the artists present...


* A fun pic of me and Bethany, the "fallen dark angel" for the evening...


* A silly group shot.... there's me, Dee Foust, Bruce Elsass & Vergie Lightfoot - love her expression!....


* Me and Wendy (a Stepford Wife for the evening) pose for the camera... Wendy is the graphic design genius behind Bethany Lowe Designs!...

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* A cute pic of my pal Vergie Lightfoot....She's wearing one of my Halloween hats and is ready to sign her autograph on some cute lapel pins...


* A festive group shot including Dee Foust, Teena Flanner, Bethany Lowe, me, Bruce Elsass, Vergie Lightfoot, Wendy Ahmad, Kathy Seburn & their friendly staff of devils...


* ( And thanks to Mandy of Maygreen Fairies for the "Your Blog is Fabulous" award :) *
I'm glad you enjoy it!....
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It's Halloween!

....And it's also my Birthday! :) Candies, cakes, costumes and gifts, ALL in one day! When I was little, I used to think that everyone had costume parties and masqueraded around on their birthday. Later I realized that I was just unique - he he!... Well, I'm not sure if I will be dressing up this year or not - sometimes these things happen at the last minute. But I did gift myself with a little handmade kitty that I just could not sell. I really like how her sneaky little grin adds mischief to her character! So, she will be staying home with us as we greet the trick or treaters....After that, who knows what may happen on Halloween night!..... Hope everyone has great fun!

Cheers,
~ Johanna


*...here's Trixie....

© 2008 Johanna Parker Design * Folk art cat is the property of Johanna Parker and may not be used without permission.

Celebrate365 Interviews Me....

Just last month, Connie Porcher of Celebrate365 (The Premier Magazine for the Year-Round Ornament Collector) contacted me for an artist interview!... I was thrilled for the opportunity to share my Halloween collectibles with her readers and also honored to be amongst many others selected as "some of America's best-known folk artists"...! Thank you Connie! :) Well, I just received my issue, and what a treat! Not only am I in there, but many of my Halloween artist friends are in there as well. Each artisan is asked the same questions, and it's fun to see all of our unique responses. Whimsical images of Halloween folk art fill the pages, and there is even a feature story on one of my very first Halloween art collectors, Sharon Johnson! My friend Matthew Kirscht's Halloween imagery is painted across the cover as well, so it's a pleasure to be a part of this collectible journal.

For those of you serious collectors out there, Celebrate365 is a must-have as it features today's holiday folk artists, ornament designers and the means to contact these creative folks. Again, I'm honored to be a part of this season's issue. :)
~ Johanna


* A snipit from my article... The JOL now resides with Jason Walcott & the owl candy bowl will be available thru Bethany Lowe Designs next year!... Click on the image to see my full interview!....


* A fun grouping of my various Halloween creations appearing in Celebrate365...The JOL ornament is available thru Primitives by Kathy, and the other originals happily live in my collectors' homes across the country!...

NOTE: Celebrate365 is published four times a year, and the issues cover ornament lines from A to Z, along with collectible holiday art. Each issue offers information about both contemporary and vintage styles. www.celebrate365.com