We are celebrating Oz Femme Fatales of Horror month with horror merchandise maker Barbara Amiss.
Welcome Barbara.
You are a talented artist over many mediums, what is your favourite medium to create with?
BA - If I had to narrow it down to just one I would say mixed media, I’ve always had the ability to see pieces scattered across the table and see something that was hiding just waiting to be found.
You make the most amazing horror and serial killer mugs, what inspired that idea?
BA - As a life long lover of coffee I’ve collected numerous travel mugs over the years; different colours, styles and start signs but none of them ever really screamed me. So decided to make my own. At a young age I discovered Stephen King and Dean Koontz and fell in love with horror, blood, mystery and murder so of course these were going to be the basis of my own style travel mugs.
Who is your favourite serial killer? Well, who do you find the most interesting is probably a better way to put it? And why?
BA - Dr H H Holmes, when I started reading about serial killers in high school my sick and twisted mind loved the way he had designed his castle off trap doors, secret rooms and tortured souls that could never escape his labyrinth. Wasn’t long after this I dreamt of buying my own old mansion with secret passage ways and secret rooms not necessarily to trap and torture people but the idea of having a hidden secret always excites me.
What was the last horror movie or series you watched?
BA - to be honest I haven’t come across anything I’ve wanted to watch but my all time go to is my collection of Stephen king movies on VHS, I have some digitally remastered but I find the old VHS with their static appearance add old school thrills.
What horror movie scared you the most as a kid and why?
BA - Toss up between Stephen Kings IT, the original; admittedly I was around 15 when I first saw this but the idea of a sweet clown I had always been fond of could be this way and how easy it was for him, a simple balloon; come on every one has balloons and from this my distrust of people, balloons and clowns grew and American werewolf in London; this was seen at a much younger age of around 8, my older brother of 8 years was babysitting one night and had this brilliant idea to let me watch it with him. We lived in a farm and I was convinced that if you went outside after dark in a full moon you would die and it was a full moon that night and he told me that my parents were never coming back; needless to say I never trusted my brother again.
What or who inspires you the most when it comes to art?
BA - All my life I’ve enjoyed art, but after my Dad passed from Leukaemia I went to a dark place and was drunk 99% off the time and doing self harm but one morning my daughter 9 at the time missed the school bus and I couldn’t drive her to school; I knew then I had to find another avenue to express myself so I started studying art, I worked hard and gain my advanced diploma in fine art and contemporary craft. I draw a lot from Van Gogh and Dali. In a way I relate to Van Gogh’s harsh life and love for one that was no longer available in my life and Dali who doesn’t love his twisted imagery, surrealism and expressionism and are favourite styles. I express more in image than I will ever express in word.
Would you survive in a horror movie? What do you think are the key elements to survival?
BA - When I hear this question I always firstly think of Zombieland 1 cardio 2 double tap, cardio well I’m fucked there but the double tap; I’ve got that sorted lol but after 30 years of horror movies I know not to run towards certain death, can easily get into the mind of a killer, and get my way out of a situation. So working on someone hunting me and a zombie apocalypse I think I would survive. From my home I know 8 different routes to town, how to exit on to a main road 16km away from home using back paddocks, have roof access, and fully armed and dangerous lol so yeah I think I have a chance.
Where can our readers purchase your horror and serial killer merchandise and are you open to commissions?
BA - All cups are currently sold in Victoria at an awesome little shop; ALT-CVLT, I have three different styles available through them at the moment, go on their website and check them out.
Thank you for being a Oz Femme Fatale of Horror.
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