The Halloween House on 80th

10/30/13 Platinum Carbon ink, watercolor, Zig markers, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

While lots of houses try to outdo each other with Christmas lights every holiday season, one house in my neighborhood does Halloween in a big way. Just east of Fifth Avenue Northeast on Northeast 80^th, it hardly has any competition, at least in Maple Leaf.

Gravestones and coffins are an annual standby, but the owner brings out a few new things each year, usually around a theme. This year the theme seems to be skeletons – I counted 11, including the skull in the attic window. The scariest one – at least for young trick-or-treaters – is probably the one seated in the doorway, since they will have to stand right next to it to ring the doorbell (of course, the skeleton is waving, so how unfriendly can it be?). The bloody guillotine is a nice touch.

As I was sketching his house, the owner came out to walk his dog and saw me across the street, so he came over to take a peek. I told him that I look forward to his decorations each year, and he said he’s been doing it for 20 years.