Do you live in a haunted house, or perhaps just like the idea because you’re a fan of Halloween and things that go bump in the night. Well then, The Haunted Studio is for you!
The artist behind this amazing studio, Lewis Barrett Lehrman, is a veteran graphic artist and illustrator who is also a professional watercolorist, teacher and author of several books. Lehrman began the Haunted Studio after selling prints of some Halloween themed watercolors he made on Ebay over ten years ago. He has kept his studio alive painting commissions of people’s houses, charging them with a supernatural energy. To this day he has painted over eighty homes and has adopted the title “Painter of Dark“.
Take a look at just a few of my favorite paintings from his online gallery:
Here is a perfect example of how Lehrman takes a seemingly ordinary home and transforms it completely. He explains the process:
“Beginning with new or old photos of your house, of family members, pets, Halloween costumes, decorations, etc., plus your feelings and ideas about what you would like included, I create a “study painting” that will eventually become a work of art you and your family will always cherish.”
For a complete explanation of the process click here.
My favorite “spooky house” painting is one of Lehrman’s first. “Nine Spooks” is the perfect title, inviting you to search for them, including the ones in costume.
If you can’t spare the money to get your own home painted, you can still get in on the action. There are many prints available in a variety of sizes suitable for framing. There is also a newsletter, The Halloweenist, where you can get all the latest news and updates, including a “Disembodied Brain Teaser” each month. If you are so inclined, there is even a Haunted Studio spirit board to call upon the powers from beyond in your own home!
Truly the Haunted Studio has much to offer, but at it’s core is great art. Perhaps one of his scariest paintings, “Things That Go Bump In The Basement” captures the fear and wonder of what may lurk in the dark corners of your basement. I seriously love the dark spectral figure in the doorway to the left, and more reveal themselves as you study the piece. Even the furnace comes alive with a hellish grin! Hmmmm… I wonder if Freddy Krueger is about to show up? Well, not really. There is nothing very threatening or violent with the work, it’s mostly just creepy.
Hauntings aren’t limited to the home either, but include a variety of landscapes and locations. For example, “I Dream The Midnight Midway” depicts an abandoned amusement park after midnight. Check out the floating fortune teller booth and strange figures in the background. The amount of detail and his technique is quite impressive.
If you like these pictures, I encourage you to visit the “Painter of Dark” himself at http://www.hauntedstudio.com
