Vegas-based art studio creates creepy custom mini-replicas…
‘Tis the season for ghosts, ghouls, and goblins. Halloween is also the perfect time to recognize those who horrify us year-round. And so it is that shock performer John Shaw of Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum and LATE NIGHT MAGIC was recently honored with his likeness as a voodoo-worthy “shrunken head”.
VEGAS 411 was present when fans, peers, and fellow performers gathered to witness Shaw’s unique honor. The event took place at Orleans Casino’s The Venue during a performance of Late Night Magic. The unveiling was made by Harley and Ian of LIVING DEAD LAS VEGAS.
“Living Dead Las Vegas knocked it out of the park. The fact that they were able to recreate my hair and beard so accurately is just absolutely incredible!!!! I met LDLV a few years ago at the Days of the Dead convention here in Las Vegas, and their young daughter gave me a bag of blood. It was great to reconnect with them and have them create this awesome shrunken head of me. What incredible talent!!!!” – John Shaw
LIVING DEAD LAS VEGAS is a business and studio dedicated to artistry of a most gruesome kind. Expanding on its origin in special effects (SFX) makeup and related prosthetics, Living Dead LV makes its talents available to consumers who lean toward the macabre.
After the presentation of Shaw’s unique likeness, Harley agreed to do an online interview with VEGAS 411 about their background…and how LIVING DEAD LV went from an idea to a cool, nightmarish reality:
“Ian was in the Army for twelve years, and I was a performer and makeup artist everywhere we were stationed. After a trip to Tom Devlin Monster Museum while still in the Army. he decided that’s what he was going to do. We moved here to Vegas, and a year later he attended L Make Up Institute for beauty, body painting, and SFX (special effects).”
“Ian’s been an artist his whole life…drawing, painting, tattooing, and now a sculptor. While he makes the physical pieces, I’m busy making blood, packaging, booking events, marketing, and coming up with new ideas for projects and gigs. I am always involved in the creative process from beginning to end, running social media for not only LDLV but also Aurora Gorealis (aka) The Las Vegas Spooky Kid.”
Are you the type whose preferred pendant style features a rotting “human toe”? Living Dead has you covered. How about a holiday tree adorned with body-part ornaments? They can do that, too. And no EVIL DEAD film fan can survive without their own “Necronomicon”, the dreaded book that opens a doorway to Hell.
“Our Amazon shop is more so for Rory Gorey, She created her own coloring book and was part of the concept for the LDLV coloring and sketchbooks. She signs and sells them at events. We do have a merch store with some of our designs. We currently do not have our own studio but have had many of our custom pieces sold in local spots (like) Hellbound Horror, Cemetery Pulp, and Blaspheme Boutique.”
“We vend for some spooky conventions and events (like) Days of the Dead, Vegas Fright Nights, Fear Faire, and Witch Vegas (coming in January). We offer Face Painting/ airbrush tattoos, performances, and photo ops/signing with me and Rory Gorey. We also sell our SFX Blood Bags and finger and toe ornaments.”
Pet mats, sleepwear, wall art, shirts, phone cases, shower curtains, and aprons are part of the eerie yet fun merchandise line. There’s that line of adults-only coloring books at the LIVING DEAD Amazon Store. But the primary focus of LIVING DEAD LV‘s offerings these days is their custom shrunken-head creations.
If you aren’t familiar with the background of the shrunken head, know that it’s a mystical ritual with a long, dark history. Sin City familiars often head to The Golden Tiki Lounge, where musicians, celebrities, and members of the media (this writer included) have had their mini-me’s inducted into the Tiki’s “Cabinet of Curiosities”. So how did Harley and Ian get started with them?
