It's ba-aack: Tuscaloosa News-created Monster Makeover art party returns from hiatus

Regarding inspiration, T.S. Eliot wrote in a 1920 essay: "Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different."

So while The Tuscaloosa News was up to something good — maybe a little wicked — in 2010, our Monster Makeover crawled out somewhat different from and possibly better than its source idea: adult artists re-imagining kids' Halloween-style drawings to collaborate in the spirit of fun, yanking ghoulies from the Id via crayon and paintbrush.

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Cool concept, but whose kids would we exploit? We had several parents in the newsroom, but ventured a few blocks away, to the Capitol School, to make it an inclusive community event. That year, we created the whole shebang in three weeks, with a crew watching and talking with kids, and staff artists such as Shweta Gamble and Tony Bratina not only committing personal artistry, but helping track down fellow adults to join the jolly. Chief photographer Robert Sutton got it all catalogued, and became a contributing artist himself.

We told the kids to draw whatever came to mind when we said "monster." No right or wrong, just pure imagination. The same for adults, though they were tasked with spinning off the kids' art, and words.

The vividly, hilariously ghoulish collection hung on display at the Children's Hands-on Museum, and a joyous closing-night reception, which doubled as a Halloween party, persuaded us to make it a regular Halloween event.

We spread the love around annually, with varying schools and a growing roster of adult artists. From the silent auction of art, sale of souvenir books and T-shirts, the Monster Makeover became an unexpected success as a fundraiser, after expenses earning about $4,000 per year for arts education.

Each year at the closing party, 99.99% of the kids, on seeing the adult adaptations, which have ranged from elaborate sculptures to vividly painted and constructed collages to woodwork to fabric art, shrugged and said "Mine's better."

First lesson for an emerging artist: Believe.

For 2020-2022, we who believed in the Monster Makeover suffered. Much as we wanted to plug in the electrodes, raise the platform and anticipate a handy lightning storm to strike, we couldn't bring large groups of adults and kids together — at its height, the Monster Makeover party entertained several hundred — during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Practical considerations threw stumbling blocks too: Originally, The Tuscaloosa News staff — Bratina, Gamble, Sutton, Steve Mullen, Peggy Skelton, Betty Slowe, Stephanie Taylor, Janet Sudnik and others — handled most of the show. In the intervening years, all those folks have moved on from The Tuscaloosa News.

But with each season the Monster Makeover had expanded, so we'd taken on partners, other believers, including the Arts Council and its Bama Theatre, where we held the event the next two years, and the Tuscaloosa Public Library and Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum, where it moved for the two years after, then on to the historic Drish House for a handful of seasons, and then to Harrison Galleries for 2019.

Even when we couldn't hold the Monster Makeover, we talked about it, over lunch or drinks, via Zoom, email, instant message, text message. Finally for 2023, the coast seemed clear enough. A core group began re-assembly.

Tony Brock, a former Tuscaloosa News graphic artist, and Monster Makeover contributor, is among those who've gone above and beyond to bring this back into being, designing the 2023 comeback logo.

"Monster Makeover is an excellent way to inspire youngsters to create and then see their creations hanging in a gallery next to an adult artist’s interpretation of their work. That’s a cool thing and a great memory," Brock said.

"For me, as an illustrator, Monster Makeover presents an opportunity to revisit carefree days, and hopefully provide a worthy keepsake for both the child and parents."

In addition to the numerous other ways they'd helped create, Bratina and Gamble set up easels outdoors at the transportation museum events when adult artists failed to turn work in on time. The married couple painted on-the-spot monster art that not only kept all the kids in the game, but served as brilliant illustrations of artists literally at work.

"The Monster Makeover holds a special place in our hearts for sure," Gamble said. "When our small group from The Tuscaloosa News started this 13 years ago, we had no idea how much it would impact the community, artists and children alike.

"One, it brought artists in our community together because there was a special bond in being a 'monster artist.' Talking about your monsters was a great icebreaker.

"Second, it pulled artists out of their boxes …. I've seen incredible artists sweating over whether they depicted their monsters right, because they exist only in a child's imagination.

"And for the children, it was a source of pride and fun. Our children have fantastic memories of the monster shows, and are thrilled it's still going."

Another now-married couple, Ed and Ashley Enoch, who met through the Monster Makeover's collaboration with her old employers at TPL, handled much of the organizational detail for 2023, even though they don't currently live in Tuscaloosa.

"I was captivated as I listened to the bizarre and creative explanations from the students about their 'monsters,' " said Ed Enoch, a former staff writer. "I watched as local artists were hooked in a similar fashion as they picked out monsters to re-interpret. I'm still involved all these years later because it remains fun."

Soapy Jones, though she no longer books the Drish House, offered her vast expertise in event planning and production.

"I've been in love with the magic that is Monster Makeover for years," said Jones, who moved her Tuscaloosa-created Left Hand Soap Co. to Birmingham a few years ago. "It was such a treat to be a part of production at the Drish House, and I'm excited to see where it's going now.

"It's a special partnership of creative people and organizations that creates a unique experience for everyone involved. What could be better?"

Sandy Wolfe from the Arts Council, and Jim Harrison III have provided invaluable guidance, footwork, volunteers and funding.

With students and professors from UA, the latter two helped create a spinoff, the Monster Takeover, a series of miniature bronze sculptures based on past Monster Makeover creations, placed along the Riverwalk and in downtown Tuscaloosa.

Sadly, vandals have chipped many away, so they're few and harder to spot now. Guess we know who the real monsters are: Those who'd deprive kids of the joy of hunt and discovery for a few ounces of bronze. And bronze is only worth about a $1.50 per pound, so congratulations thieves: You're not only criminal, you're certifiably stupid.

Key for 2023 was re-starting small, taking out the extensive prepartion and expense of the books; we hope to bring books back in years to come.

For now, we've more closely mirrored that 2010 event, with 25 first- through third-grade students from The Capitol School, and a like number of adult artists. The exhibit is up at Harrison Galleries, Inc., 2315 University Blvd. in downtown Tuscaloosa.

A closing party will begin at 5 p.m. Friday; the silent auction will run 5:30-7:30 p.m., where guests can bid on students and adults' work. There'll be live music from haunted-house band The Resident Evils, and more.

Funds raised will continue to go to the Arts in Education Grant portion of the Community Foundation of West Alabama.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Monster Makeover to Tuscaloosa returns for this Halloween season