Tag Archives: durwood

Svengoolie Portrait Gets Resurrected Art Frame by Living Dead Girl Nicole 💀🖼🐔

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A couple of weeks ago I shared my latest split face portrait “You’re All Grown Up Now”, a tribute to Jerry G. Bishop and Rich Koz and the history of our Chicagoland local legend Svengoolie. Well with Flashback Weekend on the horizon and me anticipating gifting the piece to Sven, I needed to get a frame for it. However, I knew not any frame would do for the essence of Svengoolie. It needed to have a bit of unique, campy yet spooky razzle dazzle.

So I found a frame to resurrect and went to work. I chose this specific frame for a few reasons. For one, the beaded look reminded me of Svengoolie’s red beaded rubber chicken necklace. I also liked how there were layers to the frame and immediately envisioned various ways I could incorporate the colors of the show’s set. I also loved that it was made from natural wood which would give me a nice base.

This was the end result after I conjured my creative magic…

I purchased the little rubber chickens and hand sculpted larger “beads” to attach them to the frame securely. I wanted them to dangle because if you give them a squeeze they actually make a fun little squeaky sound!

I wanted there to be a center piece to the frame between Bishop and Koz, so I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to pay homage to Zallman T. Tombstone. So I hand sculpted a little skull and used some wig hair to make him his iconic mustache. Not getting the hair in the clay while it was drying was “fun times” but I succeeded.

I then hand painted everything (besides the rubber chickens of corpse), added a metallic finish for each section of individual color and then gave it a lacquer finish. When it was dry I was so happy with how it all turned out. Then when I put the original art piece in the frame my creepy little soul felt its artistic mission was complete. Another piece of art framed in art completed and to be honest I can’t stop smiling at it every time I look it and how my whole vision all came together. I hope it gives Sven the same sense of joy and nostalgia and it reminds him of how much us horror geeks love what he does and are so happy he kept Bishop’s vision alive for us boils and ghouls all these years.

Maybe, just maybe one day I will be tuned into the show and be lucky enough to see this special piece of hand drawn and hand made art on the show’s set. A living dead girl can nightmare can’t she? Never say never! 📺💀⚰️🐔✨

New to my work? Be sure to check out the other portraits and custom matching resurrected frames that I have masterminded on the Spitting Image page of my portfolio website!

Stay Strange & Magical ✨
LDG Nicole

“You’re All Grown Up Now” a Tribute to Svengoolie by Artist Living Dead Girl Nicole

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As a Chicagoland horror geek, I will be the first to say that checking this portrait piece off my art bucket list was well over due. I have had the honor of being on a stage with Svengoolie (it was a costume contest at Flashback Weekend but still.. legendary) and been in his presence at countless conventions and hearse club shows over the years but I have always wanted to express the impact he has had on our local horror community through my art.

Svengoolie on stage with Living Dead Girl Nicole dressed as Baby Firefly at Flashback Weekend's Costume Contest in 2006


Svengoolie on stage with Living Dead Girl Nicole (dressed as Baby Firefly) at Flashback Weekend’s Costume Contest in 2006

I really wanted the piece to be a reflection of the history of the legendary tv horror host over the years. Similar to the way I paid tribute to Jim Henson with my “The Lovers. The Dreamers. And Me.” piece. With half reflecting the earlier years so the piece actual tells a story.

So for this split face portrait I decided to go back to the 70s by drawing the left side as a tribute to Jerry G. Bishop who was the mastermind behind Svengoolie. The original on air host from radio and television that brought the character to life on Screaming Yellow Theatre. Complete with his long green hair, aviator glasses, hippie attire and sidekick puppet Durwood.

The right side represents Rich Koz joined by his puppet pal, Kerwyn. Koz not only wrote jokes for Jerry, but he also resurrected the role as the Son of Svengoolie on WFLD (Fox) 32 in the 80s. He later received Jerry’s blessing to make the character his own in the 90s, when Jerry told him, “You’re all grown up now… be Svengoolie.” At that point, he dropped the “Son of” from his name and became the face of Svengoolie that we all know and love on MeTV today.

So in my best “Yiddish/Transylvanian” impression (as Jerry described it), I type and recite his words “The time has come for scary things“. So hold on to your rubber chickens as I emerge from my coffin to present to you my latest piece I call “You’re All Grown Up Now” hand drawn in pencil, colored pencil and chalk pastels.

For my art collectors who can’t get enough of hearing “Calling all stations. Clear the air lanes, clear all air lanes for the big broadcast!”, “I have made-to-order* prints and wearable art t-shirts of this special tribute piece listed in my Etsy shop. Now remember.. “NO PERSONAL CHECKS!” but you can apply coupon code BERWYN at check out to get 10% off your order! 📺😱⚰️🐓✨

Canvas prints are currently in production with my printer for my art collectors to see in person and purchase at a discounted price* at Closet Collectibles (in Crete, IL.). Keep an eye here for restock/art drop alerts.

New to my work? Be sure to check out the other portraits I have masterminded on the Spitting Image page of my portfolio website!

Stay Strange & Magical ✨
LDG Nicole

*Read more about my “never mass produced” creative process and in store discounted art prices here