I do not make monster art. Not exactly. I try to make art about the human condition so I feel I am indirectly acknowledging the presence of monsters–but I am not sure it’s enough anymore to suggest, imply, hint. I think my language has been too passive. I need to be more direct. I think my audience doesn’t believe in monsters so they have misunderstood my work and/or willfully looked past my stories because they want shiny, happy, pretty stories. I think I need to bop them on the head a little harder or at least slow them down with a trip line. To be honest I am not sure what to say to them once I get their attention. Things are such a mess in the world. Stories are the only weapons I have and they are probably not enough to get us out of this pickle.

I have been writing about zombies and post apocalyptic books and movies lately because I am drawn the characters that have to battle the monsters. I am particularly drawn to the women in these stories. Maybe I am looking for inspiration. Monsters in the real world seem to be getting bigger and louder and closer. I feel like I need to make art about this–but I refuse to paint the monsters. I think I am too superstitious to give monsters a form in my work. Making a likeness makes them real somehow–gives them power.

Right now, it feels like we are all living in one of those zombie or alien invasion movies where people are running through the streets and the monsters are taking us out one by one. Only a few characters ever survive that movie mayhem. We usually see them hiding quietly in an alleyway or under a car as the monster walks past trying to sniff them out. The people they believed would take the monsters down are the first to go so the motley crew of survivors are on their own. WE are on our own.

Yep, we live on a planet that is currently being taken over monsters and I am trying to keep my cool and be smart so I can survive–but I am not sure how to do that. I need a guide book. In the movies you always have to figure out what the weakness of the monster is. Is it holy water or a silver bullet? A stake through the heart –or brain? Sunlight? A sound? What will kill the monsters that we have to contend with in our world now? What do I need to pack in my away bag? What tools do I need in my tool belt? Please, someone tell me!

Maybe it’s time to download the How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse doc on the CDC site. Ya reckon it’s still there? I am not linking to a government site. You will have to do your own research.

I will not say the names or paint or sculpt likenesses of these real life monsters. I will not feed their egos. They thrive on attention and I will not give them any. But I feel the need to address the present situation and to stock my arsenal or maybe build a bunker. I should have started sooner. Ugh. How do we survive this?

I think the dark coping skills that got me through covid and the deaths of my father and husband were just starting to change shape this past year. I have been drawn way from the stab ’em in the head zombie movies and more attracted to stories about the people who fight the monsters instead–and survive. I really like the stories about the people who come out on the other side of something horrible to rebuild their lives. I was actually feeling cautiously optimistic, if not a teeny bit hopeful for a minute and then 2025 happened. Of course, I knew to expect a rogue monster jumping out of the bushes now and then but I wasn’t expecting an entire army. There are not enough arrows in my quiver and holy water in my flask and my oxygen tank and food reserves are low and the lock on my door is broken and the rain is toxic and…and…and…how did we get to this place? I can tell you. We were greedy and complacent and lazy and we foolishly invited the monsters in. Oh, my stars. What fools.

So how do I make art about the monsters? Should I even be making art about anything? That bunker idea sounds good today. Or does it!? Have you seen the movie, “The End”. It’s a musical about a family living in an underground bunker after some post-apocalyptic event ends the world above. It got mixed reviews but I thought the story was kind of brilliant. The monsters were locked up with them. You need to watch the film to see what I mean. We humans are the monsters. We can’t escape ourselves. We have to confront the monster in ourselves and our communities to survive this zombie apocalypse and we are ill equipped.

I think I am going to go crawl under my bed and take a nap. Wake me when it’s my turn to stand watch.