Welcome to Stephen's Corner.
Stephen Makes a Friend, charcoal pencil, 8", 2023
Stephen was my first monster to get a full origin story. People have always responded to him with curiosity (after the initial shock) which I think is partly because there's a gentleness to him somehow, a kindness that people can feel but not quite explain. I'm not sure if this is some essential Stephen-ness coming through or if I've just managed to show him how I see him, not as a monster to be feared but just another being, out in the world, doing his thing. Preferably as far away from the rest of us as possible, since he's also terribly shy.
Stephen Under the Bed, charcoal pencil, 22" x 28", 2016
I've never known him be aggressive but he can be fast and when he unfolds, those extra limb segments make him waaaaaay bigger than you'd think. To see what I mean, stretch yourself out on the floor or against the wall, noting where your fingers and toes end. Then, add another of your leg lengths to that and...yeah, that big. First time I did that was to work out how he'd move on stairs for an animation I was making and realised that his full span was actually the whole flight from the front door to my flat. I love him but even I had a thoughtful pause at that.
He was the first of my studio monsters to get a model made - starting with this simple balsa and wire version, which saved me no end of headaches working out the complex perspective and changing shadows on all those limbs as he shifts position. It also enabled me to create a series of deliberately wobbly old-school stop motion films which I took out on tour to help bring people inside the world of the drawings. I always get asked where he comes from and how he thinks/feels, so I started building an archive of documents telling that story, from a map of the asylum he lives in to newspaper articles of sightings. I started collecting his treasures too, found objects that he has kept, which I have in a suitcase in my studio. Like the suitcase itself, many of those objects have been gifts from friends of his, long term followers who felt a connection and wanted to give him something nice. I am in the process of building a bigger showcase for all these things, but for now please enjoy this selection of my favourites.
The very first finished drawing I did of him, when we had developed enough of an understanding for him to come all the way through. Dear old boy.
Primitive biro drawing on lined note paper, from the asylum file.
Map of Murk Mire Asylum. This map was created just for Stephen's file, it's uniquely his space.
Set of 10 unique Rorschach cards. Do I see a spider ?
Photocopy of newspaper article - monster sighting near abandoned asylum. One of two articles in the file, each adding more information and clues to the timeline of Stephen's story.
Urbex photos of an abandoned asylum.
The full kit including pictures of his treasures in a battered folder.
A small vintage case, the keys long lost, but it still keeps all his treasures safe.
One of his (and my) favourites, a simple but beautiful marble.