Skip to content

Arts

Read More ›

#Throwback Thursday: Petrifying Pics from Halloweens Past

We dip into several archives to find some seriously creepy Halloween photos

1966halloween_0

Halloween is my most favorite time of the year. And clearly I am not alone in this obsession: NPR recently reported on some interesting statistics from the National Retail Federation, which affirm that around 75 million adults will don costumes for the holiday.

Rather than go out tomorrow night amidst the costumed madness, I will be home watching scary movies and, pending I can actually find one (curse you, Target), playing a Ouija board.

We don’t get many trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood, which is a good thing because I’ve already eaten all the candy. But from the looks of it, those who do expect pint-sized candy beggars at their front door tomorrow night will likely see an onslaught of Elsas and Olafs from Disney’s Frozen. (Or perhaps this sexy Olaf. Yes that’s real. And it sold out.) Frozen-themed ensembles are this year’s hottest costumes, garnering about 1,192,000 searches on the Internet according to Forbes.

Back in the pre-Frozen days, children dressed up…in well, rather terrifying masks and clown costumes. Flipping through these various snapshots, I’m actually thankful for Frozen. Look for yourself…if you dare. (*Ominous laugh*)


Kids all decked out for All Hallows’ Eve at West Seattle’s High Point circa 1943


Children in costumes at Rainier Beach, no date given; Courtesy of the Seattle Municpal Archives


Children with “rattle boxes” preparing to collect money and treats on Fastelavn, which is sometimes described as the Nordic Halloween


And now for a few snapshots that are a little less terrifying:


Courtesy of MOHAI

Occupy protesters carve their message into pumpkins, circa 2011; photo by John Henderson


Ghosts, circa 2011; Credit: Daniel Spils

 

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way. 

What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common?  According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot.  “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture.  This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.

Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).

WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…