Jocelyn Shipley
Hungry Man
Jocelyn Shipley is a sculptor, filmmaker, jewelry-maker, designer --- just an all around creative person with impeccable taste.
What was your first metal experience?
When I was in Jr High I remember sitting on the floor cross-legged with my friend Debbie. She played Number of the Beast for me and it only took the intro to get me really excited ... "its number is Six hundred and Sixty-six". I loved Eddie immediately. All that classic metal album art was undeniable. Ozzy, Priest and Maiden were the finest!I saw more punk and new wave shows back then. Out of Order was my first punk show, but the Butthole Surfers spoke directly to me. I remember how King and Teresa would duck behind their drums quickly between songs, supposedly doing lines of speed, but I'm not sure.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but your MFA project was a claymation sex film, right? What films are most inspiring to you? Which ones do you watch over and over?
Yes. It's Klayrotica. The films were Cumtitled, Cumfused, Cumrodery, and Cumpromise. I'm inspired by so many directors and films David Cronenburg's The Brood, Dario Argento's Creepers (phenomenona), Herschell Gordon Lewis' 2000 Maniacs, but the scene that is the most direct influence was Sam Raimi's Evil Dead. In particular the scene when he burns the Book of Shadows and it makes the witch disintegrate into claymation and cornmeal mush. Also the rape scenes in Last House on the Left and the Accused were integral in me reaching the disturbing narratives in my Klayrotica pieces.
Movies I've watched way too many times:Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, Logans Run, Excalibur, Texas Chainsaw Massacre
And now, what's your favorite trashy TV shows to watch?
I love SVU! I wanna get cosmo's with Mariska Hargitay. I loved the original Melrose place and remake of 90210. I can't wait for new episodes of Nashville, regardless of the soundtrack. I'd like to be the earring stylist for Basketball Wives, but the show is unwatchable. I love Top Model, Kitchen Nightmares, Project Runway, Survivor, Bar Rescue, Xavier Renegade Angel. I'll pretty much watch anything trashy, but Toddlers and Tiaras makes me sad. And, I watch Hoarders only for organizational inspiration.
What are some Chicago bands or artists you feel like should have gotten/get more attention?
I moved away from Chicago almost 20 years ago, crazy. I'm completely out of touch, but bands like Drunk Tank and Dirty Old Man River were charting new territory and never truly recognized. Bobby Conn still deserves more fans and I really loved Quintons earlier band Math and of course Rapeman ended too soon.I did a slew of sculpture shows in Scandinavia starting in 2005 at Willy Wonka gallery, Oslo. This led to another show in Bergen, then Copenhagen and a few years later in Malmo, Sweden. I sold the Hungry Man to the richest woman in Norway. She has it in a plexiglass box in the lobby of her cosmetic company.
Lately you been working on Necronomicharm. What are some of the next shows will you be selling at? And if people want to get in touch with you to style their homes or stores or x-mas trees, how should they get in touch?
I'm selling at the Cathedral of the Black Goat Festival in Chicago next week, Saint Vitus Market in February and I'm gonna have my own tent at Deathfest this year!!
Email me at Necronomicharm [at] gmail.com
Last, are you related to this Jocelyn Shipley?
No, and I sent her a message once and she never replied ... maybe I seem scary.