When you think of Stephen King, you’d probably say he’s one of the world’s all time greatest horror authors. You may also think after reading his novels that he must be demented in some way to be able to come up with such horrific ideas; no sane human could ever think of stuff like that. Not true, many sane people suffer from hauntings unlike your typical paranormal like encounters; they instead are haunted in their dreams. Their dreams turn into nightmares and fears where they can’t wake up from them and are forced to endure the horror that eludes them in the light.
Some of those people block out and forget the entire dream; they don’t want to remember it so they stuff it back into the archives of their mind never to be touched again. Others, like Stephen King, face their fears and nightmares head on and have found a way to profit from them, while chilling others to the bone. That is the case for Jason Dowd, the founder of Dowd Studios and artist in the new series “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy.”
Ever since he was a boy, Jason has been tormented in the night with night terrors. He recalls dreams where he’s free falling through the sky, looking down at the solid mass that will surely take his life when he hits; but he never hit, instead he woke up before touchdown. He also recalls one of the longest running nightmares that still haunts him today. It’s where he wakes up in a coffin, mistaken as dead; he smells death and sees the solitude of the metal box he lays in. The horrific sound of the earth being thrown in, covering the coffin and the final pitch dark and forever silence that he is forced to live until the remaining oxygen is depleted.
He also recalls some of his biggest fears, which are spiders and clowns. He states clowns are just evil; they are dirty and look like a dead corpse that put on some makeup to make their pasty skin look worse than it already is. After seeing the movie, It, he became fully convinced that these fun-loving, carefree hobos are really a disguise for the evil that lies beneath the layered thick paint. The yellow jaundiced eyes that glow when provoked, and teeth that turn razor sharp to take your soul. Yes, that is what he thinks of clowns, and he has no problem stating that fact. Then there are spiders, and who isn’t scared of them. They are eight legged, multi-eyed little nasties whose whole purpose in life is to freak you out.
So what do these fears and nightmares mean? Why are we telling you this? Quite simply, one day after telling a story, one of the listeners asked Jason, “What the hell goes on in your head?” Jason has always said he wouldn’t wish his mind on anyone, especially someone he loved; but that one question did spark a interest, an idea if you will. He decided words weren’t powerful enough to express the horror of those nightmares, the sense of fear when he sees the very things that scare him the most. The comfort with some of the greatest dreams he’s ever dreamed. So he decided to create his own art series depicting his dreams, nightmares, and fears, and for fun, he threw in his twisted views on fantasy creatures and fairy tales.
In less than one month of planning and shooting, with the help of some very beautiful and talented models willing to step foot into the artist’s mind and face the very objects he fears most, Jason gave birth to this series, “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy” and was able to achieve his vision and confront his own fears.
The collection is guaranteed to shock, horrify, gross out and disgust you. It will surely inspire and capture your heart and emotions and it will make you see the world through the eyes of Jason himself. He’s fully aware some of the pictures will invoke some controversy, but he says it’s “no holds barred, anything goes.” Despite some of the more disturbing pictures, you will probably notice that they are still beautiful and will capture your eye despite the graphic nature of the piece.
Right now the collection contains: Sugar Plum Fairies, Woodland Fairies, Gothic Little Red Riding Hood, Angel vs. Demon, Isolated and Insane, Trapped, But Not Dead, Remember When, Death To Yesterday, and Please Help Me.
“Trapped But Not Dead” is the reenactment of his nightmare of being buried alive. The coffin used is a real vintage child’s coffin, and a real mortician gave the makeup tips to him. “Details make the picture; it’s what helps to create the emotion and ambiance of the piece. When I shoot these, I strive for authenticity.”
“Death To Yesterday” and “Angel vs. Demon” are darker pictures that still inspire. For instance, the “Demon vs. Angel” series is a collection of twelve pieces that tell a story of the battle between good and evil. In the end, good triumphs and peace will live again. “Death To Yesterday” is the artist’s way of saying, don’t cry over the past, you can’t change it and you can’t live in it. It’s there so you don’t repeat your mistakes and will be there to make you smile in the future. These were both actual pleasant dreams Jason has had throughout the years.
Despite the month long shooting spree, Jason was asked to show this collection in Hong Kong come August at “THAT GALLERY,” a new art gallery that shows art from artists from around the world. “It’s an honor and a dream come true to be asked to be a part of this show,” Jason states. “All I ever wanted was to be in a gallery somewhere. I figured it would be here first, but heck, I’ll take Hong Kong!”
The series has received rave reviews and comments, and I see it going very far. Soon, Dowd Studios hopes to be able to place the pieces up for sale in small print and collectors’ limited editions in the studios online store. He also hopes to be able to do some live shows around the country.
To see the collection, go to www.dowdstudios.com and click the gallery link. If you are a Facebook user, follow him and his art there at www.facebook.com/pages/Dowd-Studios/371707221418
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