Artisan's Avenue is a place to showcase fantasy, horror, or sci-fi artists and their creations. As you may have guessed, the name pays homage to Artist's Alley and the wildly talented people I've met at various comic cons. I am continuously fascinated and impressed with their creativity and imagination and I hope our readers feel the same.
Wicked Wall Masks
Tracey/TrinityTwo: As I peruse the vendor sections of comic and horror conventions, I am always on the lookout for new and original artists. This October, I attended Rock and Shock in Worcester, MA and am excited to feature artist Stephen Scholan, whose booth Wicked Wall Masks I found to be wildly original, colorful and exciting.
SS: I had always wanted to be an artist since I was a child. Drawing was my passion in my teens and I started experimenting with clay in my early twenties. All of my sculpting has been self-taught, a lot of trial and error. I still have a lot to learn. The majority of artistic education I've received is through a circle of tattoo artists that taught me about colors and contrast.
Tracey: Stephen, you obviously have a passion for the macabre. Tell me what it is about this genre that sparks your creative juices.
SS: I'm fascinated with ancient and extinct cultures, religious deities and the arcane. Most of the wall art I create really doesn't have any true symbolic meaning, my intent is only to spark people's imagination and curiosity.
Tracey: Who are some of your personal favorite artists and why?
SS: Some of my favorite and also the most influential include H.R. Giger, Tim Burton, Brom and Rob Zombie. These artists walked the path less traveled and, like them, I'm always trying to create something spooky, mysterious and original.
Tracey: Please tell us about your current work.
SS: I am currently working on a set of happy and sad demonic clowns. These are some of the largest pieces I've made and they are a custom order for a collector of mine. After that, I will be creating a traditional Japanese demon. From there, I will be working on another custom order of a Snoopy sculpture hugging a huge heart- that's no joke, though it is a little funny.
Tracey: What are some of your favorite pieces you have worked on?
SS: One of my recent favorites is a goat head/raven skull themed clock I created a few months ago. I really enjoy creating clocks as it serves more of a purpose than just a decorative wall mask.
Tracey: Is there a cool story you'd like to share about a commission or any of your artwork?
SS: In the early 2000s I had created two wall masks for the rap duo Twiztid. I wasn't able to give it to them directly, but I caught up with them a few months later at an autograph signing. When I inquired about the wall art I had given them, I was informed that it was hanging up in the house of one of their security guards. Come to find out later that they had gotten rid of the art as quickly as possible because they were unable to sleep with it on their tour bus. Initially, my feelings were hurt but over time I actually took that as a compliment. If my art creeped those two guys out, I must be doing something right!
Tracey: Thank you so much for joining us at The Qwillery. If you are interested in checking out more of Stephen's creations, head on over to his Instagram or etsy page. Links are provided below.
SS: All of my current work can be found on my Instagram page. Any art that I have available for sale can be found at my Etsy store @WickedWallMasks
https://www.etsy.com/shop/WickedWallMasks
https://www.facebook.com/wickedwallmasks/
https://www.instagram.com/wicked_wallmasks/
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