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Spooked
Spooked transforms familiar symbols of Halloween into a playful exploration of imagination, memory, and seasonal tradition.
Through a series of intricately layered paper-cut scenes, the handcrafted carousel book reveals witches, black cats, ghosts,
spiders, bubbling cauldrons, and other classic Halloween imagery. Rather than evoking fear, each composition embraces the
lighthearted spirit of storytelling, inviting viewers to rediscover the delight of being gently startled.
As the pages unfold, successive layers create depth and shifting perspectives, encouraging viewers to look through, around,
and beyond each scene. Bold silhouettes, vibrant color palettes, and carefully orchestrated negative space produce theatrical
compositions that change with every turn of the book. Light filtering through the cut-paper layers becomes an active part of the
experience, animating the imagery and reinforcing the sense of playful discovery.
Inspired by cherished childhood memories and later experiences that celebrated Halloween as a family-friendly tradition,
Spooked reflects how shared rituals can transform ordinary moments into lasting memories. The work acknowledges the
holiday's rich visual vocabulary while emphasizing wonder over fright, imagination over horror, and community over spectacle.
Both sculptural object and narrative sequence, Spooked invites viewers of all ages to experience Halloween through curiosity,
humor, and the enduring magic of handcrafted paper.
Artist Statement
Spooked grew from two memories that shaped the way I think about Halloween. Neither is about fear. Both are about the people
whose creativity transformed the holiday into something memorable.
When I was in second grade, my mother stayed awake through the night sewing a witch costume for my school's Halloween
celebration. By morning I had strep throat. I never wore the costume to school, never went trick-or-treating, and never had the
Halloween she had worked so hard to create. Yet over the years, the disappointment faded while one memory remained vivid:
my mother, sewing through the night before going to work the next morning. What endured was not the holiday I missed, but the
love stitched into every seam of that costume.
Years later, another experience reshaped my view of Halloween. A close friend devoted himself to creating haunted houses that
emphasized imagination over horror. Instead of relying on blood or shock, he designed playful environments where families
could laugh, explore, and experience the excitement of being just a little spooked. His work reminded me that Halloween can be
theatrical, inventive, and joyful.
Those memories became the foundation for this book.
Through layered paper engineering, familiar Halloween imagery—witches, black cats, spiders, and glowing color—becomes part
of a playful visual narrative. The pages unfold like scenes on a stage, inviting viewers to move through an imagined world where
curiosity takes precedence over fear and storytelling becomes the true celebration.
Ultimately, Spooked is less about Halloween than it is about the people who gave the holiday meaning. It is a tribute to
handmade acts of love, shared traditions, and the enduring power of imagination to transform ordinary memories into lasting
ones.
Year: 2023
Medium: Mixed media artist's book
Structure: carousel
Materials: Archival papers, PVA adhesive
Dimensions: closed, 7” x 5” x .5” open, 7” x 10” x 10”
Edition: Unique
Status: Available
