As we get ready for the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon in Los Angeles this month, I had a chance to interview a few of the artist vendors who are coming. The festival will once again convene at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro, CA. They'll be featuring guests Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, and more!
In this installment, we talk with Courtney King, founder of Kisses or Stitches, who takes us on a view of adorable madness, one that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of the cosmos on a good day.
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started on all of this? What was one of the hardest things for you to learn?
Hi there! My name’s Courtney King and it’s my life dream to make monsters. I specialize in crochet and I got started making Cthluhus about two years ago. Since then I’ve started making all sorts of things, from Pokemon to teddy bears. The hardest thing I’ve ever made was a set of Tardis’s and the hardest thing I’ve ever learned how to do was to knit. I knitted myself into insomnia for days trying to learn it.
What's your favorite H.P. Lovecraft story?
Definitely The Music of Eric Zahn, I like to think of the looming monster in the story as apathy and I understand well why the pianist can’t stop playing. Creating something is the only we can do to fight back the darkness.
What's been your favorite creation so far? What was the most unexpected surprise you've found when making these creations?
My favorite creation has been an abominable snow man who was based off a series of post-it note monsters inspired by Edward Gorey. My monster was very difficult to construct, I had to invent a new stitch to make him correctly- but I love how creepy it came out.
The most unexpected surprise was how well received my work has been. Apparently people love the morbid & adorable, who knew.
What other themes do you like to work with in your art?
I have this curse where everything I make always ends up tending to be cute rather than realistic- so I like to work in more macabre, morbid tones so that I can love my scary creatures proper.
What's a project you really hope to take on in the next few years? Where do you hope to go from here?
I want to crochet a scale replica of a pirate ship. Also, sew a set of my Little Pony stuffed animals. I hope to go into museum work, and have my art displayed in a plethora of galleries. Eventually my goal is to end up doing vending at comic con. I look forward to the future well.
Where else can we find you throughout the year?
You can find me, and all my work online through my deviantart or facebook page. Or if you’re ever in Santa Monica, I often haunt the college there.
Who are three artists you listen to while making your creations?
I usually listen to documentaries on youtube by a cognitive neuro-scientist named V.S. Ramachandran, but when I’m listening to some mad beats I put on a band called Astronautalis, or sometimes one called Why? Or Noah and the Whale. I’m a sucker for lyrics which sound happy but are actually very sad and horror music.
You can find Kisses or Stitches online at: https://www.facebook.com/KissesOrStitches
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