Halloween Web - Gentlemen Bats

 Today we're joined by a local (to me) Salem artist who has a talent for majestic animal portraits.

Tell the readers about yourself.

Hi I'm Nick Demakes I'm an artist and I paint with coffee and acrylic paint . I've always been influenced  by horror or weird things. I'm from the Salem Massachusetts area and always loved Halloween. I paint bats in Victorian suits, almost like family portraits and sell them in Salem mostly.

What was Halloween like for you as a kid?

When I was I kid I loved to dress up at Halloween. I think my first costume was Bugs Bunny this was before I saw the Batman costume and I was set to be Batman next Halloween. We only had one pumpkin light up for Halloween and I always wanted more. It wasn't til Nightmare before Christmas that we had a Halloween tree and lights and more light up characters. We would play a Halloween record outside the door and would open the door when the Dracula on the record would say come in.

Do you have any favorite costumes?

My favorite costume was always Batman from a kid to the 80's when the movie came out to now I still dress up as Batman for Comic Cons. Lately I've been the Gentlemen Bat, like a living model for my bat company. I'm dressed as the Gentlemen Bat around Salem for the past few years and even got him in the new Hubie Halloween Movie on Netflix this October, hopefully I'm not on the cutting room floor but I was an extra in the movie filmed here in Salem and they rented my vending table of art too. 

 

Note: This interview was done before the movie was released. You can catch a glimpse of the Bat in this scene to the left of the mayor.

 

 How do you celebrate today?

During the world as we know it now I would love to walk around as the Bat to enjoy Salem.

Do you have anything special you do every year to get into the spirit?

During October I always like to revisit the universal Horror movies like Frankenstein and Creature from the Black Lagoon. It's not like I don't see them every day! My house is decorated in Halloween all year except for the Halloween tree that goes up in October and stays up til January next year. I do have a Creature From the Black Lagoon Bathroom that has memorabilia and has been featured on Salem Horror Fest.

 

Why do you still enjoy Halloween as an adult?

I'm a kid at heart and still collect toys and model kits. I've always loved dressing up for Halloween and have never stopped.

 Inside the Spookster's Studio

The worst thing to get while trick or treating was an apple or toothbrush, that sucked!

My favorite thing to get was peanut butter cups.

My favorite Monster Cereal was Frankenberry but I broke out in hives once so I had to stop.

 

 

Where can people find you online?

You can find me online at The Bat Art of Nick Demakes and also on Facebook and Instagram (@GentlemenBats). My art is available at Count Orloks Nightmare Gallery, Vampfangs,and The Witch House Located in Historic Salem. My art is also located in Boutique du Vampyre in New Orleans and The Glass Coffin in Texas.

Thanks to Nick for dropping in! I've seen his art in person in Salem and it really is fun and a little different. Check out his site for more!

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