Ogwen River Festival 2014: Arm of the 'Swamp-Thing'

Saturday 4th I was invited by the Sculpture Circle to join their one-day exhibition at the Parc Meurig woods in Bethesda part of ‘Gwyl Ogwen’ an event promoting the natural environment and creative arts in the Bethesda area through working with the community and in partnership for local social and economic benefit. I couldn’t think of a better location to unveil the latest edition to be added to my collection of ‘Wonderment's and Atrocities’ the Arm of the Swamp-Thing! I love the 1982 Swamp Thing movie it appeals to me on many levels as its both a superhero AND monster movie. A wronged scientist turning into a mutant plant creature starring Louis Jourdan and Adrienne Barbeau written and directed/written by Wes Craven what’s there not to like? The scene that many remember is when Swamp Thing’s left arm is hacked by a machete, later on the down hearted Swamp Thing manages to use sunlight to grow a new arm and save the day. This piece, explains what became of the lost arm, it flourished! Made from Papier-mâché and clay on a frame made from twigs and string painted with acrylics.

Although I liked the colour of the first Swamp Thing in the movie I preferred Jim Wynorski ‘organic’ look in the equally enjoyable The Return of Swamp Thing and so tried to replicate it by applying roots, lichen, moss and flowers and real ivy (growing 2” during construction of the arm). A label was enclosed that read,
‘Arm of the Swamp-Thing’ Louisiana swamps, 1982
This arm is reported to have belonged to the legendary ‘Swamp Thing’ of the Louisiana swamps believed to have once been one, Dr. Alec Holland a developer of plant/animal hybrids at a top-secret bioengineering facility. It was reported that Dr. Holland actually ‘mutated’ into the legendary ‘Swamp Thing’ by his own formula during a scuffle at the facility when a terrorist group infiltrated it. A later encounter with the group resulted in the ‘Swamp Thing’ loosing his arm. Despite being severed the arm of the of the mysterious half man/ half plant creature continues to ‘live’ to this very day.

Thankfully the heavy rain we experienced the night before held off, and the arm was placed on a tree stump along the path. The woods lent themselves perfectly to the look and it was great seeing the public, made up of art lovers and families out for the day getting up close to the piece and examining the details before making their way along the walkway to seek out other works scattered along the pathway. During the day I was also able to catch up with my fellow collaborators from last year’s 'Hidden Worlds: Hidden Artists’ Exhibition Lisa Hudson, Harri Carmichael, and Lindsey Colbourne and meet many other creative folk and local talent. It was a nice tranquil setting and everyone seemed happy and impressed, as was I and I look forward to the next one and thank them for inviting me along.

© Arfon Jones 2014. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.

Monster Memories: The Alton Towers Haunted House: Return to Gloomy Wood

Around two years ago Mrs Jones and I were driving through Staffordshire when I noticed signs indicating the direction of Alton Towers theme park when by an amazing coincidence Classic FM started playing Grieg’s ‘In the hall of the mountain King’! (Unofficial theme of Alton Towers used for their advertisements) I noted the coincidence to Mrs Jones who was horrified that I associated Grieg’s finest with a theme park but presenter Nicholas Owen came to my defence when he enquired after the piece ended, “How many of you out there where thinking of Alton Towers during that?”  In truth, I actually associate ‘In the hall of the mountain King’ one particular Alton Towers ride, which opened back in 1992 The Haunted House! After an absence of 18 years I returned to Alton Towers last weekend and visited one of my old haunts.
I was a frequent patron of Alton Towers between 1991 and 1996 then I just stopped going. There was no particular reason for this I just never got round to a return visit. But as I stepped off the monorail I found that a great deal had changed over the past 18 years. Henry Hound was no longer there to greet guests, the Black Hole was gone (closed down in 2005). The Corkscrew Britain’s first giant corkscrew roller coaster (and the first roller coaster I ever rode on) was dismantled in 2008 (but I was pleased to see a section of it at least displayed outside the entrance plaza) and the Haunted House… still there! Or was it?

First time in the Haunted House

When the great John Wardley opened his new ride to the public in 1992 there was a massive amount of publicity surrounding it. Between various children’s television show segments and the aforementioned  ‘In the hall of the mountain King’ advertisement, with me being the monster fan that I was/am I yearned to experience the ride for myself! Then when it was announced that our school trip that year was to be Alton Towers I was ecstatic and insisted that the Haunted House be the first ride that my friends and I went on. As we joined the infamous queue line I took excessive amounts of photographs of the house and various humorous gravestones (but sadly not one of them came out). I have vivid memories of finally getting through the front door and standing in the Entrance Hall and Drawing Room before getting into the carriage. Various elements of the ride still reside, I recall the tunnel of doom making an impact on me and being over all impressed by the experience, and even being overwhelmed by the gift shop! I returned the following year, my brother in tow (alerting him as to where the ride photo was taken) and with each ride I would notice something different and although I hadn’t been on the ride since 1996 I still spoke fondly of it.

Apparently by 2002 the Haunted House's visitor numbers had slumped so Alton Towers decided on a re-theme the ride, adding laser guns to it and re-naming it Duel. I was so pleased to see the old house still standing, and now armed with a relatively good, digital camera with a zoom option I was finally able to take those detailed shots I was anxious to take 22 years earlier. As I walked in it was just like old times, many of the details that I had committed to memory were still in place (minus the portraits and I had completely forgotten about it having a slanted walkway!) Going in with a gun was strange (as strange as being able to simply walk in and not queue.) It was certainly the ride I remembered from my childhood only with little lights everywhere and zombies ‘jumping’ out. Apparently I ‘won’ scoring the most but we didn’t bother with an after ride photograph as a picture of myself zapping monsters with a big grin on my face with my wife and child sat next to me looking bored just looked silly. Admittedly, being the traditionalist that I am I didn’t care much for the ‘new’ features, but I understand that in order to survive the ride must adapt. I still love it though and hold it in high regard, why wouldn’t I? It’s classic! I hope these photos relive some pleasant memories for you.

Oh, by the way Mr Michael P Eley’s ‘Smoke and Mirrors: The Haunted House of Alton Towers’ book, an excellent read that I highly recommend!
© Arfon Jones 2014. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.

Here's One We Made Earlier in Manchester

I had a short, mini break from the studio this week and visited Salford, last time I was here I had a look around the Blue Peter garden. Blue Peter would once again play a part in this return trip as this time we visited the Lowry’s Here's One We Made Earlier exhibition which explores the past 90 years of children's television at the BBC. Walking through the exhibit was like walking through one’s childhood with various iconic relics and photographs scattered thought the exhibition space. Familiar faces and quotes lined the walls as the sound of familiar television themes and people saying, “I remember that” filled the air, it was brilliant. During these dark times of scandalous truths emerging about a handful of our childhood heroes it is important to strengthen our memories of the ones that didn’t let us down.

In attendance was Morph, The Clangers, Bagpuss, Ottis the Aardvark, the Why Bird, Gordon the Gopher and of course Basil Brush. To be able to get up close to these puppets and see the detail and workmanship was sublime! Other highlights (for me) was seeing the Smallfilms artwork of Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine, the Grange Hill uniform, The Tracy Island that Anthea Turner made on Blue Peter and of course Humpty from Play School. I would have liked to have seen Pinky and Perky, Edd the Duck and the Wombles there but we can’t have everything. Not that it reflects in anyway on this wonderful exhibition that I urge you all to visit! It runs until October 12th and is free! So don’t delay!

© Arfon Jones 2014. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.

The Angry Video Game Nerd

Over the years I have enjoyed the work of a handful of Internet reviewers and often have their channels playing in the background as I work and one of my favourites has to be the Angry Video Game Nerd. For the benefit of those not in the know The Angry Video Game Nerd or also known as the AVGN is a character created/played by James Rolfe who reviews the worst games that the gaming industries from back in the day had to offer. He reflects on their low quality and poor designs and looks back at the game consoles themselves and the movies that inspired some of the games, his videos provide a nostalgic look back at several aspects of gaming history. His infamous ‘sweary’ rants about how ridiculously difficult a stage or the overall game is reminds me of my own frustrations with game glitches, random objects that get in ‘your’ way and the platforms that we fall through. Then when your almost at point of tears you declare that you HATE the game but before the words even have a chance to echo you press ‘continue’ to start over again refusing to let the game win!
I had always intended to create a ‘follow up’ to my Stuart Ashen’s Poundland Peril painting and seeing as that was a cover for a fictional Spectrum game I thought the next logical console would be the NES and thought who better to feature on the cover but the Angry Video Game Nerd?!

Anyone that watches James Rolfe’s other Cinemassacre projects will know that he is quite different to his alter ego and so with this in mind I decided to base the image on one of the first games he reviewed ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ on the NES. Having drawn a concept sketch I thought I would upload it to my DeviantArt page to see what AVGN fans thought, and a they seemed to like it leaving positive comments but at that point my workload increased and I had to temporarily shelve the project. Then in May of last year, having successfully completed the bulk of my commissions and attended Wales Comic Con I decided to take a break and catch up on the latest episodes of the AVGN and to my absolute surprise I discovered my artwork featured on the opening credits! (00:16) I had absolutely no idea it had been used in an AVGN episode (never mind one devoted to the Toxic Crusader and Troma starring Lloyd Kaufman!) spurred on by this I vowed to have the painting finished in time for the Nerd’s 10th anniversary year and here it is! Happy 10th anniversary Angry Video Game Nerd thanks to James Rolfe and all involved with the show for all the entertainment!

© Arfon Jones 2014. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.

Sarkylocks and the 3 Bears: The Rejected Risqué Rendering

The other day my good friend Dean Wilkinson informed me that he recently sold a boxset of The Bill to a gentleman in Ireland and that once the sale had gone through they both chatted about Dean’s writing career.
(Dean is one of the funniest people I know, writing for both TV, radio, stage, books, comics, console games and apps providing material for Harry Hill, And & Dec and Stephen Fry) they eventually settled on to the subject of Dean’s book Sarkylocks and the 3 Bears (which I illustrated). It would seem that the gentleman not only liked Dean’s idea and the artwork “by Wales’ finest Arfon Jones” (Dean’s words not mine) but he also thought Sarkylocks was very sexy… Seems this took Dean by surprise, as he said, “I hadn’t thought of her like that at all. She’s far too young for a bloke like me who’s pushing 50.” But I then reminded him of one particular image that I drew of her that was deemed a little too risqué for the book…  Dean’s response, “ Oh yeah, she’s is a bit of a femme fatale. But I ain’t climbing that Yew Tree!  I was going to suggest we send the Irish bloke a copy of the rejected picture but he’d only ruin it.” So here is that image for everyone to enjoy!

Buy Sarkylocks and the 3 Bears on Amazon
Check out Dean’s work here and find out about his latest project Sheerluck

EXTRA: On the subject of Sarkylocks and the 3 bears, back in January my dear friend Kristin Brooks in Arizona sent me this photo!

© Arfon Jones 2014. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.

Ghostwatch: Behind the Table

I believe I mentioned that I was at this year’s London Film & Comic Con… As I navigated around masses of people and stalls I was fortunate enough to run into a few friends along the way and three of those were Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains director Rich Lawden, Ghostwatch writer Stephen Volk and director Lesley Manning! Rich has documented the weekend in his short film Ghostwatch: Behind the Table which features Stephen, Lesley, Hunt Emerson and a few Ghostwatch fans and contributors to the documentary including me… don’t let that put you off though, its very good!

With Ghostwatch writer Stephen Volk and
Ghostwatch director Lesley Manning

© Arfon Jones 2014. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.

London Film & Comic Con 2014: Nuff Said!

Having always wanted to meet the legend that is Stan (the man) Lee I was all set to do so a few years back at a seemingly reputable CON, Sadly, poor organising on their part put an end to that plan and I missed out. It was a bitter experience and I thought it was my last chance to meet him. But bless the man, he decided to call on us again for what was promoted as his last ever-European signing appearance. As their web site explained, “After decades of meeting his fans, he has finally decided that long distance travel is to be left to the likes of Iron Man, who can do it far faster and look a little more awesome when doing so! And thanks to the world being safely left in the hands of our superheroes, he can hang up his cape on the European circuit.” So this true believer was granted one more throw of the dice and thanks to Mrs Jones and the tradition of giving at Christmas I travelled to Earls Court for the London Film & Comic Con to face front and meet Mr. Marvel himself! Excelsior!

© Arfon Jones 2014. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.