tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71176246374106375182023-11-16T05:31:15.342-05:00Eisengrimm's JournalWithin these tomes you will find the musings and thoughts of Scott McClelland, a 3rd generation Showman and purveyor of the Strange and Bizarre.Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-49846578714752559052012-01-16T22:38:00.009-05:002012-01-17T17:52:16.714-05:002011... What a YEAR!!!
As we move into 2012 and start to build and create for a New Year, it's time to look back on the Amazing Year of 2011.
In 2011, I brought back Prof. Crookshank's Traveling Medicine Show and built a functional Showman's Caravan with Ward Wright... then I put on my First Festival, The Carnival Diablo Festival of Wonders (and it was a HIT!)
As Summer turned into Fall, I created 'Cinema Obscura'Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-82072911046730486292011-09-11T18:10:00.003-04:002012-01-17T18:44:17.777-05:00The Carnival Diablo Festival of Wonders - Part 1
What an Amazing Summer!
We worked our asses off to create the Carnival Diablo Festival of Wonders, attempting to create something unique that No-One has experienced before... and I think that we accomplished our mission.
We started working diligently on the Festival in early July, building, promoting... and amassing a great team of people.
One of the most important things was location, we Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-253017088481926122011-07-10T01:37:00.000-04:002011-07-10T01:37:08.830-04:00Carnival Diablo TV is HERE!!!
That's right folks! Carnival Diablo has started its own TV station... and we are creating NEW shows and commercials every week for the station that deal in our sordid world.
Come and check out Carnival Diablo TV, it will make your time on the internet even more worthwhile! ;)
http://youtu.be/vlUWsZxh_lU
I am working on creating many little documentaries about the things I do, so that you can Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-4523265496569198262011-06-21T15:57:00.001-04:002012-01-17T18:45:17.725-05:00The Exodus...Today I am packing and organizing for the Big Move at the end of this month.
Actually we move this weekend.(but the packing now begins)
some of my paintings ready to go...
After a full year in the cabin in the woods, we have decided upon moving to a small blip of a town that has a beautiful 2 story house waiting for us. This will become the NEW Diablo Manor. For a city boy like me, moving into Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-80255731609893495382011-06-15T22:23:00.003-04:002012-01-17T18:46:54.869-05:00Prof. Crookshank's Traveling Medicine Show commercial... #1Well, this past weekend we unveiled the Last Showman's Caravan in Canada at the Expo 150 in Petawawa Ontario. Over 30,000 people showed up during the 4 day event and we had a TREMENDOUS time! We were set up in a Pioneer Village with around 28 pioneer re-enactors. They were part of a group called The Pioneer Gathering and some of the most colorful and interesting people I had met in a long time :)Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-45102320145030124682011-06-02T02:26:00.001-04:002011-06-13T19:37:43.303-04:00The Carnival Diablo Festival of WondersFor everyone that enjoys the Strange and Bizarre... I have decided to create a Festival to celebrate the Strangeness of being Human! We all have one thing in common... we dream and have great imaginations. YOU can now indulge in a Festival that encompasses the absurdness and imaginative side of life on this big blue marble.
Welcome to The Carnival Diablo Festival of Wonders!
The FIRST poster Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-90197025812400071702011-04-24T12:14:00.000-04:002011-04-24T12:14:44.308-04:00Calliope CLOWN Head sculpt
One of the things that fascinates me about the 19th Century is the fact that the Clown's of that time period were actually rather scary. I had bought a Carnival Organ for my Show and wanted to top it off with a Olde' looking Clown Head.We are so used to seeing Bozo the Clown or a Ronald Macdonald sort of Clown... but I wanted to make something a bit more disturbing.
I have many vintage Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-90586377427858096942011-04-18T19:50:00.002-04:002011-04-18T20:21:03.763-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 12The building of the Last Showman's Caravan in Canada is done.And NOW, the task of booking and performing the Show goes into high gear!
As promised, I have some exclusive pix of Prof. Crookshank in front of the Showman's Caravan that will be used for advertising purposes. I wanted to let you see them before they become a part of our ad campaign.
I hope one day you will come and visit Prof. Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-78129642703761519682011-04-15T01:28:00.005-04:002019-05-21T13:00:17.720-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 11
What an EPIC Day!!!!
TODAY, we finally completed the Last Showman's Caravan in Canada!!!
It was an exciting time, right from when I got up at 8:13am. I showered and drove the 98km. to the Ranch... and lo and behold, Ward and his brother had created an amazing ramp system to help make the moving out process as easy as possible.
Now, remember, the Caravan had been inside of the workshop Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-47485772177780013942011-04-13T19:21:00.003-04:002011-04-13T19:25:22.884-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 10
Well, here we are... close to completion of Canada's Last Showman's Caravan!After 5 months of toil and hard work, we are finally making the last lap to victory.It is amazing how much the Caravan has changed since its inception. I always had a clear idea in my head as to how the Caravan would look... but as we played with the build and toyed with the concept it became more and more of a beautifulEisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-46565237724917353502011-04-08T15:31:00.000-04:002011-04-08T15:31:37.190-04:00Making a Vaudeville Comedy PropI have created, painted and built my productions from scratch.One of the things that excites me about New Projects, is the need to make interesting props and backdrops that will take the audience on that extra special journey into my World of Strangeness.
I had decided to make a prop for Prof. Crookshank's Traveling Medicine Show that I had once made 20 years ago (but sadly is gone now)
I call Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-19663351813775976032011-04-04T23:47:00.001-04:002011-04-05T01:01:28.347-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 9As we draw closer to completion, the next big step is to add the detailing and age the painting on the Caravan. One of the things I wanted to make sure was, if you got reeeeal close to the Caravan, it would still look like it was over a 100 years old.
Lower Trim on sides of Caravan
Everything was well thought out months before we got to the final lap, so that nothing would be left to chance. Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-12471721897197230052011-04-01T16:32:00.005-04:002011-04-08T14:27:27.763-04:00Carnival Diablo is now 19 Years Old!!!
It seems like yesterday that I walked into the old Liquor Board Building in Calgary Alberta and decided that I was going to open a Stationary Tourist Attraction.
It was February of 1992 and I was looking for a rehearsal space to practice my Medicine Show. I bumped into a well known eccentric character while waiting for a traffic light to change in downtown Calgary.His name was Fred Hollis, Fred Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-30540481820875644332011-03-22T01:16:00.000-04:002011-03-22T01:16:44.441-04:00Prof. Crookshank's Traveling Medicine Show PREMIERED at the Lindsay Spring Fest on March 16th 2011!!!Roll out the barrels... we had a barrel of FUN!
Prof. Crookshank had a warning for the Parents...
Prof. Crookshank's Traveling Medicine Show premiered on March 16th and played twice daily thru the 18th to wonderful crowds of people. I have been working for months preparing the show for the stage, making new props, designing new routines and writing new material. And all of the hard work has Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-64637846078678037442011-03-18T23:38:00.003-04:002019-05-21T12:57:58.758-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 8
Now that the under color has been applied to the Caravan, it was now time to start to add the top-coat and begin the aging process. The first color (purple) was applied because I wanted a strong color beneath the crimson that would really show through and look a bit out of place.
Ward adding the first layer of crackle finish to the side of the Caravan
Ward and I started to add the Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-21591413671738087312011-03-14T10:36:00.002-04:002011-03-14T10:50:57.822-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 7
With the bulk of the building completed, it now came time to paint and detail the Showman's Caravan. THIS is what truly sets a Showman's Caravan apart from a normal pioneering caravan... the ART in the Detail.
Painting the upper over hang before applying first color.
It was fun deciding what colors to paint the whole thing, because it was going to be a HUGE undertaking and there were many Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-70639629493616126672011-03-10T13:55:00.002-05:002011-03-10T14:15:55.471-05:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 6Now that the walls were up, it came time to design the back door that I would make my entrance from for the Show. I wanted this door to have a mystical quality to it (not like the WHOLE Caravan LOL) It had to look archaic, so I decided on an old castle design.
Sketch of Door shape on wood for frame
Back Door frame cut out
I salvaged reclaimed barn wood, old and gray and tougher then nails.Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-12066882906027654272011-03-06T14:05:00.003-05:002011-03-08T10:27:07.551-05:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 5
Now comes the task of creating the site specific details. I wanted a strange distillery-like contraption on the side of the Caravan that would be revealed during the Show, and I had been tinkering with motors and moving parts, so that it would be moving and chugging all the time.
Gadgets and whirly gigs for the Machine
I had found many different antique items and decided to patina and Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-80046475330129788072011-03-03T12:07:00.006-05:002011-03-03T12:47:07.976-05:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 4Form and function.... that is paramount at this point.
I want to make sure that this Showman's Caravan can be pulled by a couple of large horses. So the next step is designing the front drivers area, so that there is enough room for the driver to sit without taking up to much room from the caravan living quarters. (And YES, eventually we will have a fully livable working interior!)
The front Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-48269550474461753612011-03-01T14:27:00.003-05:002011-03-01T14:38:18.479-05:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 3
One of the things that is going to bring this Showman's Caravan to life, is the details. Those little extra things you do to create something visually interesting.
Personally, I have always enjoyed this side of producing. For years I have searched Antique Shops and surplus stores for little bits of strangeness that would soon become a part of a project. Hell, I have boxes of gizmo's and weird Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-6157495656440294102011-02-26T13:45:00.000-05:002019-05-21T12:55:29.441-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 2
Part 2
Framing the Caravan
Every week, I would travel 115 km's to the ranch to work on the Caravan.
To some, the trip may seem a little long, but I feel that the drive is more than worth it. Ward was always ready for me and prepared to work everytime I came down. For the both of us, it never seemed like work as much as it felt like we were doing something almost magickal. (and Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-91575662677182585052011-02-24T13:16:00.006-05:002019-05-21T12:38:42.225-04:00Building a Showman's Caravan Part 1
PART 1
The Beginning of something GREAT!
This past year has been filled with change. And with change comes NEW ideas and also inspiration. Everything happens for a reason and this past summer of 2010 was an interesting turning point in my life.
I had booked my World of Wonders at Upper Canada Village and found that the nostalgia of working at a Historical Park got me thinking about myEisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-5575603294078691662011-02-22T20:38:00.000-05:002011-02-22T20:38:07.127-05:00Prof. Crookshank's Traveling Medicine Show is HERE!
A low rumble could be heard as hooves pounded the pavement and horses pulled a large strange caravan down the old dirt road. The townsfolk looked on, through closed shutters and cracked doors as the Medicine Show rolled into town. A stranger had come, and with him came the promise of mystery and miracles. Soon, he will come to your town and you will witness the last true purveyor of wonderment.Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-85056167796144086232011-02-12T12:40:00.001-05:002011-02-24T13:59:19.179-05:00By the pricking of my thumbs... something Wicked this way comes.
It is strange to be a part of the 21st Century, but live in the Victorian time period.
The work and toil to create a New World is almost complete, Prof. Crookshan's Traveling Medicine Show will soon be unveiled for all to see. Whimsical, strange and mysterious, this show has all of the trappings of a Edgar Allen Poe / Lewis Carrol story.
A stranger has come to town, bringing with him Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7117624637410637518.post-25293161166421847552010-12-06T16:52:00.001-05:002010-12-06T16:56:15.398-05:00Victorian X-Mass Soiree!The weekend has come and gone, but the glow from the wonderful memories will last a long time. Once again I threw my Victorian X-mass Soiree, a tradition that I started in 2002. It was the first gathering we had at our new digs in The Cabin in the Woods. Jess and I pulled out all the stops and cleaned like crazy and did ALOT of food prep before the party.
Around 32 people showed up and all Eisengrimmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14162896692434536127noreply@blogger.com0