Sid..Forever In Our Hearts

I don’t even know where to begin here and it’s just too hard to try to put into words how I am feeling. So I am going to leave you with what I posted on Instagram today because I think it sums things up the best I can right now about losing my friend Sid.

The upper right hand photo is the first time I met Sid back in 2004. Little did I know that would be the beginning of a memorable 15 year friendship that I will forever be grateful for.

@sidhaigsays – When I heard the news that you were no longer with us my heart broke, I began to shake and the tears continue to fall. I have since been trying to find the words to say and its hard to put into words how special you are to me. That’s how much light you brought into my world. What started as a funny “well shit the bed” fan girl moment bloomed into a 15 year friendship filled with memories I never would’ve expected. All because you accepted me into your world. You always made me feel special, you were an inspiration to me as well as mentor full of wisdom and advice and when we were together it felt like time did not pass. We would catch up like old friends and I would literally say goodbye feeling like my soul had been uplifted. You were a remarkable human being with a heart of gold and the impact you had on my life I will forever be grateful for. May your remarkable and beautiful soul forever be at peace.

Hardcore Hearse Club Show 2019

Saturday was our Hardcore Hearse Club‘s big annual hearse show at Brauerhouse.  Despite it being a rainy day the show was still a big success with lots of people coming and going throughout the day into the evening hours. But then again storms don’t scare us strange and unusual folks!

It was great to see familiar faces who came out specifically to support us. As you know I have been working endlessly on creating and getting my inventory ready and Frank has been working hard at getting Frankenhearse running smoothly and looking sharp! By the time the show started, we were exhausted. At the show, we were exhausted and after the show, we were even more exhausted ha ha. So to have our friends come out to support us means just as much if not more then the sales I make at my table. It’s like my favorite episode of The Office when Pam decides to do the art show and Michael Scott comes out and supports her. I literally cry EVERY time I watch it. I know exactly what it feels like to be afraid but still, put yourself and your work out there. And how much it means to have people you care about come out and show they believe in you.

I was vending solo this year (my volunteer partner in crime had to go to a wedding) but I was kept busy with all of the people who visited my table. It was great to hear “oh wow you made this?” or “you drew this?” and to know that so many of you chose to purchase some of my art or handmade creations vs. other things people were selling that you can get retail at the store or online. It speaks volumes! So many of you purchased art prints this year and it has really got me itching to pick up my drawing pencils because when life gets in the way, it’s the people like you that keep me inspired!

Here are a few shots of my table set up. This year I was between 2 other vendors who I befriended.. of corpse!

The incredible dress I am wearing is from my all-time favorite clothing line Sourpuss Clothing! As soon as I saw they had a GREEN and WHITE HEARSE dress I knew I had to have it. Not just for the show but because it totally matches our Frankenhearse! I even wrote to the company and told them I really wanted to wear it for the show and they made sure it got to me on time! This dress is gonna get a lot of use at future car shows!

And speaking of Frankenhearse.. here are some shots our friends took of our beast outside on display during the show.

And last but not least, here is a great Freaky Fanatic photo posted by Ashley who purchased one of my “Friends Til The End” portrait prints at the show and gifted it.  So awesome to see how much he loved it!

Did you buy something from me at the show? Let’s see your pictures! I would love to feature you on my site as well! Also, keep an eye out on my Amazon shop as I will be adding some unique items that were left over from the show!

Stay Spooky!
LDG Nicole

Spitting Image: In Memory Of Danny T.

As some of you know from my previously shared Axe Man’s Bridge post or from just knowing us personally, we recently lost our close friend Danny T. I wanted to do something special in his memory that I could also gift to his parents. Danny and I shared a love of creating art so what better way to pay tribute to him than to create a piece of art inspired by him.

It was one of the hardest portraits I have ever had to do. Not just because it was done from various photos to create one unique image (I didn’t want to just replicate a photo of him that everyone had seen, I wanted it to be unique just like Danny).  There were many times I literally asked Danny to help guide my pencil and there were many breakdowns where I had to walk away from it because it would hit me what I was drawing and why. But in the end, it came out exactly how I had hoped. Danny in his hat that he always wore, a tiny smirk on his face and his favorite Gibson Les Paul Sunburst guitar. A guitar not only that he loved dearly but played many shows with it on stage with Frank. Even up until the week he passed he and Frank were still jamming out for fun and making new music together. So it was important for me to incorporate that.

Yesterday was his “celebration of life” memorial so I brought it to give to his parents and they put it on display surrounded by his own art pieces. Frank and I specifically picked out the frame because it actually reminded us of something Danny would’ve made. He was actively working on a lot of art projects that involved upcycling items and making them cooler than the life they had once before. On Memorial Day weekend he showed me a table he had been working on and he had burned the wood to give it this same effect. So even the frame had meaning behind it.

I am happy to finally be able to share this with the rest of the world. Not just to showcase what I have been working on but to pay tribute to such a great person. I think it was the beginning stages of healing for me and now that I have given it to his parents I feel a sense of closure. Danny T. was an incredible human being and inspired so many of us. Not only to just be better people but to keep creating. I just hope he realizes how many lives he has touched. Yesterday was a huge reminder of that for all of us but I just hope he knows how much he impacted the lives of so many people.

I know my artwork in the past has helped others heal. So if you would like a print of this piece, please feel free to reach out to me. I had been asked by a few people yesterday and I am sorry that I didn’t think to bring prints to the memorial. My main goal was to just get it there safely, in one piece and be able to gift it to Danny’s parents.

In Memory of Danny Thornton May 15, 1980 – June 11, 2018

LDG Nicole

See more of my portrait work on the Spitting Image page of my portfolio site.

Freaky Fanatics: Kelly Doty Rocks The Decay On Ink Master Angels Season 2 Episode 2

From my previous post, you are already aware of how excited I was to see Kelly Doty in a commercial last week, rocking the barrette I made her on a future episode of Ink Master Angels. Well, last night was Season 2, Episode 2 and she is seen wearing my barrette for a majority of the episode.

If you missed it you can see a few cell phone videos I took and posted to my Freaky Fanatic Playlist on YouTube. You can also see some of it on the official Ink Master Angels Youtube channel or see them all under Viral Videos on the Freaky Fanatics page of my portfolio website. If you log into the Ink Master Angel website they also have some videos on there as well.

And most importantly if you follow Kelly on social media please show her some love for being an artist who supports other artists. I am incredibly grateful that she wore my work on TV. Such a huge compliment. Please tell her know how kick ass you think she is for sharing Living Dead Girl Nicole’s creepy creations with the world!

Want your own Skelefly or Skullerfly barrette? Check out some of the others I have made on the Dead Girl Decay page of my portfolio website.  There are a few already pre-made ones in my Etsy and Amazon shops that are ready to ship! Looking for something more custom? Reserve a custom made to order one here!

Stay Spooky!
LDG Nicole