RMW Ramblings

  Rockford Horrors The Kong   The monster dragging the blonde up the Tower isn't King Kong, but Bob Kong dangling, not Faye Wray, but Mary.  The face is a self caricature from the 1980s when I had more, and black, hair, as in the blog banner.   This is a self-plagiarism of a Christmas party invitation I did in 2003.     The biplanes are from the 1933 classic movie King Kong , which utilized contradictions in scale as I have here and in the painting High and Mighty posted September 15.

  Rockford Horrors The Vulture This oversize vulture guards the door to the Tower.  Here's a more naturalistic painting, Cathartes, I did of a turkey vulture.    

  Rockford Horrors The Witch She rides her broomstick over the Tower.  

  Rockford Horrors The Gargoyle   Copper lion head gargoyles edge the copper roof of Rockford Tower. Since they are inanimate, I have given the lion gargoyle the threat of a rattlesnake.     The gargoyles were once functional. The gargoyle lions do not longer function as roof drain spouts, gargling or gurgling.       I used a lion gargoyle as a corner image in the commemorative painting/print I did for the 2002 reopening of the Tower for visitors.  

  Rockford Horrors The Wolf The wolf is the terror of Middle Europe horror tales, fairy tales, Märchen, as well as Disney animations and more.  Peter and the Wolf, The Three Pigs, Red Riding Hood .  The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson versions are scarier.   I've recycled the Tower and cloud image here again, but with a different theme color.

  Rockford Horrors The Spider Dangling from the Tower soffit, this giant latrodectus or black widow spider is scary enough to humans, but more dangerous yet to her sexual mate whom she devours.  Did she come into Wilmington on a Dole banana boat?

  Rockford Horrors The Cat Hallowe'en has evolved from the Christian  celebration of All Hallow's  Eve, the vigil of All Saint's (All Hallows) Day on November 1, followed by All Souls Day on November 2.  The story may have deeper roots, and has certainly evolved since.