(All images copyright Scott Radke)
During the month of October my Friday Favorites may tend towards the macabre, the bizarre, the eerie. The creations of Scott Radke evoke those adjectives and more. I was going to post about his work last October and did not get around to it so I would be remiss to let another October pass without sharing his work with you.
I love marionettes and ventriloquist dummies, I really do. I am also very freaked out by them. I could watch Edgar Bergan and Charlie McCarthy perform for hours. But don’t leave me alone in a dark room with Charlie. I have a delicious dread of dummies dating back to some childhood horror show featuring a ventriloquist dummy. I think it is that perpetual happy look on their faces. There is something sinister going on behind those eyes. That is why it surprises me how much I like the work of Scott Radke.
I have many sketchy memories of seeing marionettes on various shows as a child and they give me a tangible feeling of nostalgia whenever I see them. Stop motion animation, like that of the classic Rankin/Bass Christmas specials and the Tim Burton films, essentially feature marionettes without strings which could be another reason why I like them.
There is no arguing that Scott Radke’s creations are bizarre. Behind the unsettling first impression though is a sweet melancholy that I see in each of these creatures. It must be the influence of Brian Froud’s goblins in Labyrinth or something but I have a soft spot for Scott’s marionettes and for his sculptures. I don’t deny that they give me a bit of a fright. That fear is one of the things that attracts me to them.
It is very much about the eyes. Scott Radke’s creations have a lifelike quality about the eyes that heightens the effect they have on you when you look at them. Imagine seeing one in the dark. Chilling. And yet they look sad. Melancholy, like I mentioned above. Despite my fear I think I would invite them home with me. In addition to marionettes, Scott Radke has begun making his creatures into sculptures.
I like the uniqueness of Scott’s creations. They are different than anything I have ever seen which is one of the reasons Scott’s site has remained in my Favorites folder for a few years now.
Scott Radke’s color palette is another reason that his work appeals to me. The earthy grays and browns give each piece an antique, sometimes sepia tone look to them. I also like the pastel pinks and blues and greens and faded reds in his work.
I have no expectations that anyone else is going to like this as much as I do but it is the season to embrace the eerie and it is way too fun to share these things with you. Aren’t they whimsical, in an Addams Family sort of way? Remember the twisted, abused toys in the original Toy Story? The ones that Sid mistreated? When I see these I think of the dolls head on the metal spider legs. I liked that toy. I felt sorry for it. I feel sorry for the goblins in Labyrinth as well. After all they are only creatures from Sarah’s imagination, doing the job that was assigned to them by their creator. I feel the same way about Scott’s characters.
The works of Scott Radke fit well with the Halloween season because a number of his characters are dressed up in costumes and wearing masks of their own. It also fits nicely with recent posts because, in addition to clay and wire, Scott creates his marvelous creatures with found objects.
Yes, Scott Radke’s work is something of a departure from my usual fare and yet is art that fits like a puzzle piece into that area of my personality that likes Tim Burton and Vincent Price and goth chicks and the comics of Jhonen Vasquez and Roman Dirge.
I encourage you to check out his website. In addition to seeing much more of this type of work you can also check out his terrific drawings and paintings and some of the coolest sand sculptures that you could imagine. You can also visit his shop while you’re there.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone and sleep well tonight. May only happy things visit you in your dreams.
Eeeeeek. Ventriloquist dummies scare me silly (especially when I’m only on my second cup of morning coffee…).
ick.. too disturbing for me!
I’m frightened, antie Em!
Creepy!!!!
Mom has a Howdy Doody dummy that she used to keep out. She had to put it up cuz Jessica totally wigged out over it. She wouldn’t leave the kitchen for hours and it was down the hall in a bedroom. They are rather eerie.
Wow! What talent, I love them. Thanks for sharing.
I like them in the same way that I like fantasy…an alternative Tim Burton-like world, curious, slightly disturbing.
Wow, this is all very Tim Burton. And that’s cool like poop isn’t.
I like this guy’s artwork. It’s original and weird. Perfect for Halloween!
amazing.
you’re dead on about the eyes, if i may say so, and in many ways, these creatures are less disturbing because of the melancholy in their features – like they could represent emotions, the goblin-selves inside us – i think i’ve already invited them home.
He used to have a bunch of marionettes on his site for sale at very reasonable prices and I was always tempted to get one but inevitably the ones I really wanted would already be sold.
Poop isn’t cool?
Good comments, all. Like I said, his stuff is not for everyone. I do see the ‘human side’, for lack of a better way to put it, in his creations. They each have a personality and a touch of melancholy that I like.
golly…those things are wicked freaky!
“wicked freaky”….I like it! 🙂
I really like them but in a “they scare the cr*p out of me kind of way.” If I have nightmares. I am calling you….
He’s my very favourite marionette maker! I was delightedly watching a UK programme about insomnia and mental illness (it was very cheery) while ago, and found to my delight that the producers had personified the whoel thing using Radke puppets. So cool. As one to attempts to make puppets myself, I am endlessly jealous of his talent.
creepy, disturbing and very fiitting for October! There’s no way I want one of those in my house though.
yuck, know wonder Jenn loved being in communication with you but different strokes of different blokes. I just popped in to say hi. No fishy post lately and I miss my girl. You were a big fan of hers and want you to know we are moving along with the sch. fd. Working on a photo exhibit as part of a fund raiser but not till next fall. Lots of work ahead of us. stay in touch. Cynthia (Jenn See’s Mom)
Very macabre, but there is also a sense of vulnerability to most of them. I don’t think I would want to wake up in the morning and have one of them looking at me, however.
I will Cynthia. You should send along your email address, if you have one, to me at poegeek@gmail.com I’d love to keep in touch and be informed about what is going on with the scholarship etc. I miss Jenn too.
Love love love! Meant to comment on this earlier but just didn’t find the time.
Anyway – LOVE!
I like the sense of surreal melancholy the dolls show….. Especially the little bird by the bleak feedbox and the sad clown. I agree, they do seem very vulnerable, but that adds to the melancholia. I love them and I want one!
‘Surreal melancholy’…good description of these! I want one as well!
they are so cute, i love them, hey i just want to know could you buy them?????
Yes, actually Scott Radke does sell them on his site and, for what they are, I think they are quite reasonable. If I remember right, they are around $150. I’d suggest visiting his site and sending him an email to inquire about prices/availability.
I love them in the same way you do I’ve always had a obsession with marrionettes and I love the creepy, sadness they have about them. I would have those all over my house (even though they would scare the soul out of me at night) Also Jhonen Vasquez, Roman Dirge, Tim Burton, and Vincent Price are awesome. Talk of Vincent Price and Tim Burton makes me think of Burton’s short film “Vincent”
Vincent is great, isn’t it? At the very least I make sure to watch it every October.
scott’s great.
i could write a novel on each of his creations.
Anything inspired by his creations would make for an interesting read, there’s no doubt about that!
O, my god, they are awesome!!!
i love his work after seeing his they inspired me to try to create puppets
wow, I absolutely LOVE this! Thank you so much!
I figured you would enjoy it, Nymeth!
I’ve loved Scott’s marionettes ever since I first saw them. I always go to his site to see what is new.
Simply beautiful. I love the work that he has done and it has also inspired me not to sculpt, but to draw and paint disturbing marionette creatures of my own. Horray for the disturbed!
You’ll have to come back and leave a link if you do that and post pics, marionette princess
this dummies are almost like real !
does any one agree this dummies are lyk real because how there artwork is it is sooooo great!
wow you are extremely talented!
they r sooo cute i want one!!!!
your work is so beautiful, i adore the detail and love you put into your creations! the best inspirations ive had in such a long time. thankyou! they are glowing with a dark beauty,xx
Once again as a reminder, this post is me featuring an artist that I like, not the artist himself. So although I’m sure he’d appreciate your praise for his work, I seriously doubt he will ever be over here reading these very nice compliments on his work.
Absolutely amazing art!
I have been visiting the Lucca comics fair and I get the Roman Dirge’s autograph…wow!
This images are so inspiring!
Regards from Tuscany.
Cata
these are outstanding!!! I love the creativity and how unique they are. They really express the artists imagination.
Disturbing, I likes it! 😀
I really like his work, and I have liked it for a couple of years now. Ever since I saw a couple of random murals he did in Lakewood, swirling little heads, bobbing in the sea.Awesome.
I would love to own one of his creations at some point. I am kicking myself now that I didn’t purchase one years ago when there were several available that I really liked.
Always a fanatical fan of his! Like to see a bunch of his swan doll pictures please?