The 2020 Gothtober Countdown Calendar reveals to you the greats, the ghouls, the grand guts that make up our annual exhibition of works. Learn here who contributed this very scary year, our undomesticated and uninhibited Gothtober artists! This is “together-art” at its finest, and it is a great pleasure to share 31 days with this spirited gathering of mischievous souls.
1 – Mrs. & Mr. Bliss
2 – Thomas Family
3 – Ollie Paige Linden
4 – Bill Cole
5 – Auntie Lyla
6 – Cristin Pescosolido
7 – Horror Movie Survival Guide
8 – Linda Santiman
9 – Pauly G
10 – Sibyl O’Malley
11 – Yuki Okada
12 – Christine Panushka
13 – Liz Hogan
14 – Julianna Parr
15 – Lori Meeker
16 – Anne Yatco
17 – Dominique Dibbell
18 – Breezy
19 – Asher Slasher
20 – Michael Gump
21 – WolfCat Workshop
22 – Mojo & Hojo
23 – Jenny Walsh
24 – Half Tongue Tribe
25 – Martin Ontiveros
26 – Del Norte Presents
27 – The Witchy Witches
28 – Sabine Maxine
29 – Mellocreme Fairchild III
30 – Barry M and Nancy S
31 – Lisa McNeely
DAY 1 – Mrs. & Mr. Bliss
Mrs & Mr Bliss: Two fools introduced by an adequate cupid seven years ago, making art together and adjacent since. They live with their muse Gypsy, who at 16, is a whirling dervish clocking in just shy of a half stone.
With all that’s going on in California these days, the Blisses have decided to mobilize their wicked skills and sundry charms, take to the open road, and scare up mural, portrait and design work in art thirsty hamlets across the land.
They invite you to follow their journey on the gram: @poopernagel @farl
Websites: breonbliss.com www.farleycrawford.com
DAY 2 – Thomas Family/Dragon Girl
Dragon Girl is an up and coming 14-year old artist, residing in a town on the CA Central Coast some have deemed the “happiest place to live”. While she has been creating art since she was very little, she has just become serious about it over the past 4 years. She is never seen without a sketchbook in hand, and for the last year has been making fursuits and art dolls as well. Other types of art she enjoys are sewing, animating, and sculpting (you should see her miniatures)! Happy Halloween!
DAY 3 – Ollie Paige Linden
Ollie Paige Linden is an LA based cartoonist and illustrator, generally found either wandering in the woods, teetering precariously on a bike, or refueling via cereal and cartoons. They are so happy to celebrate this most glorious of festivities with all of you!
Insta: @evening_creatures
DAY 4 – Bill Cole
I am consciousness having a human experience. Thank You
DAY 5 – Aunt Lyla KaRug
You. Aunt Lyla is from Cooterville, South Texas, but enjoys coming to Los Angeles to visit her nephew Jeffr’y, who works at a disreputable homosexual bar on Sunset Boulevard. She works part time for the Dept. of Homeland Security, Name Tag Division (Supervisor), and has a traveling one-woman show that she tours every few years.Currently, Aunt Lyla travels out to Los Angeles the second Saturday of every month, where she hosts a Happy Hour Karaoke, at said homosexual bar on Sunset Boulevard. She is thrilled to death to be part of Gothtober 2020, and gives thanks to Miss Julianna Parr, for all of her fabulousnessness. Contact Aunt Lyla at TexasLovesLyla.com
DAY 6 – Cristin Pescosolido
Cristin Pescosolido is a visual effects supervisor who likes to make short films in her spare time. Sometimes they are creepy and gross, sometimes silly and not gross at all. You can see her professional work in the film, “Rogue One” where she made the death star look good, or “300” where she made wheat fields look good. lots of wheat fields. Her other interests include experimental photography, watching fun old movies, keeping early 1970s fords running, learning how to walk, modding her wheelchairs, tinkering with microcontrollers and raspberry pis, and occasional welding.
link: https://sobo7.com
DAY 7 – Horror Movie Survival Guide
Horror Movie Survival Guide is a weekly podcast where two unlikely gorehounds and long time chums, one a hardcore horror fan with a notebook to prove it, and the other finally coming out of the creepy horror fandom closet – watch and talk about horror film from a survival point of view. We ask the question – how can *we* end up as the final girl? Join Julia Marchese and Teri Gamble as we take a deep dive into everything from OG horror to newly released films (but preferably classics on VHS). We’ll talk about obscure details that no one else notices, spin off into alternate casting universes, crush on some foxy, dodgy fellows (and creepy uncles), and arm ourselves with the knowledge necessary to become The Final Girl.
DAY 8 – The Honeylabs
Honeylabs is going multi-media with its first short flick for Gothtober.com! You can usually enjoy the Honeylabs as a live theater company that performs at The Cavern Club Celebrity Theatre.
Linda Santiman and Nancy Kissam have produced and starred in Beachez, the Musical!, Thelma and Leweeze, and Pat and Charlie’s Solid Gold Lame´ Cabaret. The Honeylabs love JP, Gothtober, and Halloween for all the right reasons.
DAY 9 – Paul G
HARK! Some wild trumpeter – some strange musician,
Hovering unseen in air, vibrates capricious tunes to-night.
DAY 10 – Sibyl O’ Malley
Sibyl is an artist-activist who makes theater in and out of theaters, videos for @HangInThereKitten on IG and heaps of trouble for the rogue sheriff of Los Angeles County with comrades at Justice LA. She teaches theater and writing to students of all ages, encouraging them to envision revolutionary new worlds. All thanks go to the Head Candy Corn who shines bright even in these ever-darkening skies.
DAY 11 – Yuki Okada
Yuki Okada is an artist, a writer and an eater of tasty foods. She works as a graphic designer and illustrator in Los Angeles and is currently trying to run away to a beautiful island with her dog, where she can make art and eat delicious shave ice on a regular basis. She enjoys podcasts and television very much, especially shows about very angry dragons. She created a blog about one such show where art, tv and snacks collide in a big happy mess. Happy messes are indeed her jam.
AY 12 – Christine Panushka
Christine Panushka is an independent filmmaker, freelance animator, artist and teacher. She is a Professor in the John Hench Division of Animation and Digital Arts at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
The Head Candy Corn and High Priestess of Gothtober would like to acknowledge that without the inspiration, mentoring, and friendship of Christine, there would be no Gothtober. She is the very best pumpkin.
DAY 13 – Liz Hogan
Liz Hogan, Los Angeles
Artist, toy designer, inventor, maker & freak.
Likes wigs, mustaches, sharpies, miniatures, googlie eyes & vodka. Allergic to cats, bats, kittens, ghosts, dust, gooey stuff, bugs & all scary stuff.
DAY 14 – Julianna Parr
Julianna (JP) Parr is a Filipino/Mixed Race Queer/Lesbian, Artist/Performer, living with Multiple Sclerosis.
She also does 19 other things and has done a lot of high pro glow stuff but here’s what she wants you to know right now:
JP created an arts nonprofit called SparkleBlob, an organization that cleverly tricks people into making and experiencing art.
SparkleBlob’s programs include Gothtober, DocuMART™, LA Marathon Super Sloppy Chili Cheese Dawgs, CraftNight, and SparkleBlob’s Annual Holiday Puppet Show.
She is Head Candy Corn of Gothtober.com now in it’s 18th year.
DAY 15 – Lori Meeker
Since childhood, Lori has been painting, sewing and crafting up a storm in a multitude of mediums. She began her artistic career right out of Th LA County High School for the Arts, crafting costumes for TV and film ( The Drew Carey Show, Austin Powers, Desperate Housewives) and for theater (Long Beach Opera, Pasadena Playhouse, Eclectic Company Theater) Most notably Lori received 2 Ovation nominations for Costume Design for her work with The Rogue Artists Ensemble (Wood Boy Dog Fish, Kaidan – Walls Grow Thin). She is also the creator and producer of Welcome to Meadowlark Falls, an immersive holiday event that is inspired by, and lampoons Hallmark Christmas movies!
Lori is a long time employee of Trader Joe’s, working as a sign artist and muralist for over 20 years.
She is also a long-time collaborator with Sparkleblob, and Gothtober! Lori is proud to be selected for this year’s Gothtober, and could not be more grateful to the community JP has created with this and all the wonderful ribaldry of Sparkleblob!
DAY 16 – Anne Yatco
Anne is an actor/voice actor/writer/professional napper based in Los Angeles, and she’s excited to participate in her very first Gothtober!
You can hear her voice as Rosie Wong in the video game Wasteland 3. She also regularly makes funny things with her sketch teams Royale and The BAE*GENCY. But most importantly, she and her husband are working hard to become sake experts (i.e., they are drinking a lot of sake these days).
DAY 17 – Dominique Dibbell
Dominique Dibbell is a writer, performer, and voice-over artist who is secretly fascinated with Lizzie Borden crime scene photos.
DAY 18 – BreezyEZ
BreezyEZ (Khellie Braxton) is a Black, Queer, Non-Binary DJ currently living in Los Angeles. Originally from PG County, Maryland (DMV, wassup!), they are known for mixing oldies with newbies and mixing genres with other genres. But, you can always count on a dope RnB or Hip Hop set from them.
Breezy also has skills in comedy, writing, and general badassery.
Since the Rona, they have been spending even more time with their diva dachshund, Littlefoot, and making hella beats! You can keep up with them on their new podcast, Ask a Black Person!
DAY 19 – Asher Slasher
Asher Slasher is an undead artist who makes art to remember what it’s like to be alive… or was it to remind him why he’s undead in the first place? It’s been centuries and doesn’t remember anymore.
DAY 20 – Michael Gump
Is also known as Bob Bugs. He makes art the likes of which you’ve never seen, and twice that you’ll never forget.
DAY 21 – Federico Tobon
Federico is a teacher by day and artist by night, well, artist by any other timethat is left after the day job including mornings. He wanted to be a writer when he was young but his hands took over his faith, now he makes things and draws all the time. Federico likes cats, sewing machines, laser cutters, really thin mechanical pencils and black ink dispensed by old school dip pens.
website http://wolfcatworkshop.com
Instagram and twitter @wolfcatworkshop
DAY 22 – Mojo & Hojo
Once separate entities, Monica Howe and Joe Jordan first made contact in 2003 on a forgotten social network called Friendster. The ensuing years took them on separate, far-reaching journeys, culminating in a star-crossed rendezvous one Friday the 13th. Just a few months later, they were forced into a quarantined coexistence by a deadly pandemic and have since fused into a single super-being with a shared mind and heart but two separate mouths and a disturbingly uneven limb ratio. Together, they partake in various shenanigans, occasionally creating enduring oddities and artifacts of curiosity.
DAY 23 – Jenny Walsh
Jenny Walsh is sharpening sticks, licking frogs and playing tricks. Later she’ll be boiling meats, spitting bees and baking treats. Halloween is ne’r a bore, for those who darken Jenny’s door.
DAY 24 – Half Tongue Tribe
Half Tongue Tribe is a coven of Venusian witches who escaped the Imperial reign of Facsista-Unfashionista. Little did our interdimensional refugees know how badly Gaia needed their help. United and determined to bend-not-the-knee to evil, they use their Power to cast spells into the Void and All and either heal or tear shit up. The spell you are witnessing is to the Dark Mother Hekate in her form as Protector of vulnerable, Guide to departed and Healer of healers. Blessed be. (also: it’s worse on Venus…if you can imagine.)
DAY 25 – Martin Ontiveros
Martin Ontiveros is an old wizard who lives in the haunted forests of the Pacific Northwest. Never talking, just keeps walking, spreading his magic and painting depictions of the demons and creatures both around him and within him.
DAY 26 – Del Norte Presents
This Gothtober, Del Norte Presents is presenting our 9th presentation. It’s an homage to the man who gets top points for keeping our 2020 vibe one of marvel and joy-where-you-can-find-it: the one and only, late great Huell Howser! Enjoy what you have when you have it! Follow your Bliss! But beWAaaAaaaRE moving into houses next to ours, because once again, we’ve ensnared a neighbor, the lovely Anna, who steadily held the camera despite the giggle jiggles!
DAY 27 – The Witchy Witches
The Witchy Witches are back with a new gayly-forward-to-streaming video spell to save the world! Sisters of the coven Guy-A, Frizzy and Lady Ass Majick gather once again to conjure some hot queerantined gothtober-ness.
DAY 28 – Sabine Maxine
Sabine is a queer femme of color from Los Angeles, California. A natural born multi-hyphenate, Sabine prefers to dabble in many different areas of creativity. Check out her lastest project Fervor Zine at www.atribecalledqueer.com
DAY 29 – Lady Mellocreme Fairchild III
Mellowcreme is an LA-based multimedia artist who enjoys wearing socks, voiding warranties, puppeting, conducting delicious kitchen chemistry experiments, and confusing hardware store clerks who ask her “What will you be using this for?”
DAY 30 – Barry and Nancy
Barry Morse and Nancy Sandercock are CalArts graduates who like to collaborate on needle crafts, performance, and little films.
DAY 31 HALLOWEEN! – Lisa McNeely
Lisa McNeely is a renaissance woman, a jack of all artistic trades based in sunny hellish LA! She has recently been illustrating some children’s books, so keep an eye out for titles such as “Away to the Woods” and “Plop”. She is also releasing her debut album “Winter’s Due” this year. A graduate of Dell Arte International School of Physical Theater, Lisa can be found in puppets, in drag, in music videos acting a fool all about town. I’m a clown, I like to play and make things, Enjoy!
Insta: @wisa_woo
Stephen McNeely aka SATAN, is Lisa’s younger brother and constant muse. An all around artist, prolific illustrator and musician. Check out and support his good work.
Follow his magic on instagram: @stephenmcneelyart @thegreatsadness
GOTHTOBER STAFF
JULIANNNA PARR- Head Candy Corn of Gothtober
Julianna Parr is the mastermind, the kraken, the Head Candy Corn of Gothtober.com
She rounds up the black cat clowders, scoops out the eyeballs, arranges the broomsticks, calls up all the spiders, searches for the very best in fresh blood for the calendar, and brings it back for all of us to enjoy for 31 beautifully godforsaken gruesome days. If you haven’t read her full bio, check out Day 14!
CRISTIN PESCOSOLIDO – Gothtober’s High Priestess of Web
Who set up and maintains Gothtober’s servers? Who helps compress and upload content to the calendar? Who helps suss out Gothtober coding emergencies? The bubbling cauldron is only as good as it’s witches, and we’ve got one of the best: Cristin Pescosolido! If you haven’t read her full bio, check out Day 2!
link: https://sobo7.com
Gothtober’s Architecture
This year’s 2020 calendar features the original coding of Michael Soderstrom from 2015, which has since been modified by both Laura Mann, and Cristin Pescosolido. All illustration and design is by Julianna (JP) Parr