Gustav Sculptor

As I was finishing up a meal at the ever affordable and delicious Portland based Mexican food restaurant "OLE, OLE" I see a wagon filled with jack-o’-lanterns being pulled by a man with a dog and another man and woman following behind. The similes on their faces are as wide as a mile and the aura radiating from them is of pure delight. Maybe it was the warm glow of the jack-o’-lanterns, or maybe the sight of a wagon, or maybe the outrageous head wear, but something told me that these people have IT. The ringleader of the Halloween goodwill collective, Gustav Sculptor, center in orange, who is also an accomplished sculpture (click his name to visit his web page), happily welcomed THR3 a glimpse into his autumn color glowing soul.

AGE: 35
TIME: 17:59
DATE: Oct 21, 2007
LOCATION: E Burnside & 21st

THR3: You say you’re spreading Halloween cheer tonight, how did this come about?

G: I had a little party last night. It was a pre-Halloween mask making party. It was the 3^rd Annual Devil’s Den.

THR3: Third Annual? How did this event begin?

G: I love Halloween. I like getting out and creating costumes, craving pumpkins and having a good time. It’s the harvest season, the smell of cinnamon is in the air, leaves falling, and it’s really nice. I think it is a good time to connect people and have more parties celebrating life.

THR3: Since it was the 3^rd Annual Devil’s Den Party, one would hope you saw your biggest turnout yet. Was that the case?

G: Definitely. It was the best and the biggest. This one was…I got the invitations out earlier this year, it was on myspace.com and tribe.com, I was using the internet, calling everybody and it paid off. We had a really great turn out. There was music, drink, lots of food – we had a full spread on our table, and there was art and dance. We started at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, so kids came and carved pumpkins with their folks. It was great. In the future I would like to have more volunteers and involve some organizations to help bring people who might not have access to pumpkins every year, so they can come and crave without buying a pumpkin.

THR3: Awesome.

G: Yeah. I like to have a nice little party celebrating the fall because it is such a beautiful time of the year: with the leaves turning, the amazing colors swirling around, the variety of smells in the air, it’s just a good energy. We are pulling this [wagon of jack-o’-lanterns] around tonight to spread a little cheer and kick start the creative juices. Hopefully, this will get people thinking about what they will be for Halloween and they will get some costumes on and go out there and crave pumpkins and celebrate this great time of the year.

THR3: What was your favorite Halloween ever? The Halloween of 1997? 1982? Which one just stands out head and shoulders above the rest?

G: [Loud thoughtful sigh]…You know, I love Halloween and I am really extravagant with my costumes, so honestly every year gets better. As the costumes get more elaborate, I enjoy more and more getting in character and entertaining folks. It is really fun to be entertained. I like to entertain people because I know when I’m entertained I think, “Oh…there should me more of that!” So, why not get outrageous and do performances?

THR3: Halloween certainly allows such an opportunity. Now, the million dollar question …what are you going to be for Halloween this year?

G: I am going to be a Turn-of-the-Century-Man. I have a pair of mobile metal wings that I am building that fold out, fold down and fold forward too. I am going to have a pair of knickers on, with a leather cap and goggles -- kind of like the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur. Really the apparatus is like the personal crazy flying machines that were common to that era [turn of the 20^th century]. You see these black and white videos of these guys all dressed up and jumping off cliffs, trying to fly but just ending up breaking their necks.

THR3: Wow, sounds like you have really attempted to integrate history into costume this year.

G: Yeah, definitely. It going to be another good year, I know it is. For me it is about entertaining people, having a good time and getting everyone happy and smiling and excited and having fun.