So, here’s the deal, Krampus is coming. That’s that. 2020 is not done with us. The face on Grandma’s vintage snowman, probably caved in. Those holiday lights you put away last year with meticulous care, suddenly, a big knot. The money you saved to give the kids a nice Christmas, probably going to fix your car or pay the rent or buy a new refrigerator, whatever, it’s gone! To top it all off, Covid-19 just ruined all our holidays plans! Such is pandemic life! Burnt cookies, broken baubles, no problem. Don’t get mean, get creative! Join us on Instagram this December for the Creeped Out Christmas Art/Photo Challenge 2020! We like it dark and scary! #CreepedOutChristmas
Join in the fun any time, any day, but, if you post something all 25 days, you’ll be entered into a random drawing** to win a prize!!!
**Contestants must post an authentic, original art piece or photo each day from December 1-25, on Instagram, using #CreepedOutChristmasAND be a current follower of @halloweenhaiku9 be to be entered into the drawing. Contest ends midnight, pacific time, December 25, 2020. Winner will be chosen and announced here and on social media on December 26th. Please see Contest Rules for more details.
Art History is filled with a number of terrifying paintings. Some are bibilical stories and greek or roman myths, others are disturbing images meant to represent abstract ideals, and some are pretty straight-forward. The things we fear, have always been feared, and all human beings share in those feelings. Here’s my picks for the top ten scariest art paintings in history.
10.
Odilon Redon, “The Smiling Spider,” 1887
Why is this spider smiling? It’s ultra creepy. Spiders are creepy enough on their own without a smile. Now, I’m just suspicious. What did this spider do?
9.
John Singleton Copley,”Watson and the Shark,” 1778
It might just be me but this is hella scary. That person in the water is toast and that shark is about as big as the boat! We can easily imagine it overturning and all-you-can-eat buffet happening in the next scene. It’s almost comforting knowing our forefathers held similar fears of the great white sharks, like, our reasoning is kinda justified. We might have bigger boats and better guns, but sharks have always been incredible evolutionary killing machines, who haven’t really changed much over the years. Getting caught in shark infested waters is one of the scariest things on earth.
8.
Zdzislaw Beksinski, “Untitled,” 1984
This is one of those paintings that is both beautiful and scary. Til death to they part. We see the lovers embraced, dying together, decaying together. This is true love. It’s frightening to realize how intertwined death and love are. Most of Beksinski’s art seems to be bizzare tributes to love, death destruction or war. When you learn of Beksinski’s own tragic life, paintings like this become even more bittersweet.
7.
Hieronymus Bosch, “The Garden of Earthly Delights, Third Panel” c. 1500-1505
Not as scary as his Hell paintings, but don’t we expect Hell to be scary? This is the Garden of Earthly Delights, and this is creepy AF! What’s up with all the Keebler elves sewing together human parts? Is that a witch, overseeing the work, casting a spell or a representative of the mind? Are they making a woman? I have so many questions, so many, and no one has answers.
6.
Titian, “Flaying of Marsyas,” c. 1570-1576
The satyr Marsyas supposedly lost a musical contest with the god Apollo and is now being skinned alive while a host of Greek figures help out or look on. Brings new meaning to the term ‘winner take all.’ There’s a whole lot of symbolism and deeper meaning going on here and you’re all gonna have to Google that for yourselves. At face value, this is one of the most savage paintings in the world.
5.
Theodore Gericault, Severed Heads, Preparatory Paintings for the “Raft of the Medusa” 1819
These next two paintings are a bit of twofer. See below.
4.
Theodore Gericault, Preparatory Paintings for the “Raft of the Medusa” 1819
Taken out of the context, these are two of a half dozen creepy and gory preparatory paintings. Basically, these bizarre and scary pieces were practice for an even bigger masterpiece, the “Raft of the Medusa,” which is a pretty brutal painting, filled with death and chaos, depicting the scandalous aftermath of the wreck of the Frigate Meduse in 1816. Survivors were set adrift for 13 days, and endured dehydration, starvation and cannibalism. Believe it or not, this fascinating true story of events totally eclipse this incredible eerie painting and all its the gory preparatory work.
3.
Peter Paul Rubens, “Saturn Devouring His Son,” 1636
According to Greek Myth, the Oracles foretold that a child of Titan Cronus (Romanized to Saturn) would some day overthrow the ruler, just as he had supplanted his own father. So, the Father of the Year ate his first two children, forcing wife Ops to hide the third Jupiter, where he was successfully whisked away and hidden on the isle of Crete, only to return years later to fulfill the prophecy. Man, hate to have Thanksgiving at their house.
2.
Francisco Goya, “Saturn Devouring His Son,” c. 1819-1823
This is is Goya’s version of the same story, with a gorier depiction, the child’s head and arm have already been devoured. Art critics have explained that the painting may have a deeper personal meaning to Goya, as only one of his six children survived. It could serve as a religious allegory to the wrath of God or represent the political situation of Spain at the time, a frequently visited subject by Goya.
1.
Henry Fuseli, “The Nightmare,” 1781
Both scary and erotic, the painting depicts a woman in a dreamlike state with demonic entity, possibly an incubus, sitting on her chest and a horse looking on in the background. This frightful painting has been a huge success since its exhibition and copied and parodied numerous times throughout the years, including Thomas Burke’s equally famous engraving The Nightmare. In fact, it was so popular at the time, Fuseli even repainted different versions of it. Oddly enough, he never really explained what it was about! Naturally, interpretations vary, but some critics have offered suggestions that the painting represents repressed sexuality, general lust and women’s desire, political allegories, religious allegories, devil worship and witchcraft, real nighmares, sleep deprivation and sleep paralysis. I mean, the list goes on as testament to its versatility.
This is the image I think of when someone mentions sleep disorders, particularly sleep paralysis. I, myself, have had a few instances of waking up before the rest of my body does and having the feeling of a being sitting on my chest. It’s the most terrifying memory I have. There’s zero comfort in knowing how common an occurrence this is between people either.
Like I’ve said before, our fears are the same and have been the same throughout the ages. What famous paintings scare you?
Happy August! Countdown to Halloween begins! Only three months away! After missing July, we’re back, celebrating cool cat art the first Saturday of every month now. This month’s artist is Lisa M. Nelson, a masterful, creative cat painter, and huge Halloween fan.
There are 7 billion people on the planet. Giving away your heart to one of them, won’t kill you.
When Cupid’s arrow strikes, it’ll always be when you last expect it. So chill on feeling lonely or being upset about having nobody on Valentine’s Day. Eros can’t see through that cloud of expectation!
When you do finally find your true love, make sure it’s reciprocal and consensual. Any doubts could mean the romance is one-sided, that only leads to
Too much doubt will also kill your romance. Learn to trust your partner.
Romantic Dinner by Harpyqueen
Sharing things in common is a must, but you don’t have to do everything together.
Date Night by Eric Pigors
Give your significant other a little space. Me time is good for you too. Have your own interests.
Cute Skeleton Girl with Spooky Balloons by MadameColonelle
Strong communication is the always key to long-lasting relationships.
Love is mystique. Love is heartache. Love is forever.
pink brains
meal for two
zombie love
Why should death do you part? If love is indeed eternal, then couples shouldn’t let a little thing like the afterlife get in the way.
According to German folklore, December 5th is the day that Krampus visits all the naughty children and whips them for misbehaving, gives them lumps of coal, or steals them away to eat them later. You gotta be really, really bad to have the latter happen. You might not agree with the methods of Santa’s evil twin, but you gotta admit, he gets results, even the adults act a little better during the holidays. Besides, Santa doesn’t really like being the bad guy, and all that coal weighs down the sleigh. Better to outsource a job like that.
These days, we hold annual balls and festivals in honor of Krampus, who’s now more a whimsical dark hero to us misfits.
Halloween may be officially over but we keep on celebrating here at Halloween Haiku!
This holiday season, I wanna get back to showcasing art from amateur, intermediate, or relatively unknown artists that I come across. Today, I’m sharing the cool digital art of JayGraphixx, titled Silk and Potions