Peculiar Person of the Month: Monster Impressionist David G. Hardy

By
David Rondinelli



(Hardy, right, with Sara Karloff)

Artist David Hardy specializes in bringing his own style to the macabre. An avid fan of monsters since the time of his boyhood, he derived a lot of inspiration from the old creature features that would be broadcast every Friday night. Combining his love of art and monsters, he became an impressionist in many different mediums from pencil to pastels. Hardy, who will gladly take commissions, displays his work at many retro shows and comic cons in the tri-state area. He describes his work as “kitschy” subjects from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. Here at This Peculiar Life NYC, Hardy opened up about his love of monsters, comics, growing up in what he considers a wonderful age of art and striking a familiar chord with folks who never quite fit in.

This Peculiar Life NYC: What got you into doing portrait’s specifically?

David Hardy: I have always had a fascination with the human face. It is, after all, “the mirror to our soul!” Being perverse in nature, I chose the hardest subject to conquer! I have a drive to get the best likeness I can no matter what media I’m using! If it is someone famous, of course I want to make a work that is instantly recognizable, but even the most seemingly obscure subject deserves the same dedication!

TPL NYC: Do you use any other forms or mediums to express your art? If so, which ones do you prefer?

DH: Right now, I’m working primarily in pencils, brush, and ink. Because my subjects generally lend themselves to gray scale (I do a LOT of classic monsters from black and white films!) I have worked in just about every medium from oils, acrylics, watercolor, and pastels.

TPL NYC: You have a special interest in monsters and monster movies what do you think it is about these monsters that appeal to you so much?

Hardy's rendition of Sammy Terry

DH: Yes I do! I think there is a bit of the perceived “oddity” and outcast hiding in all of us if we are honest with ourselves! I think the classic monsters such as Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolfman, the Invisible Man, the Phantom of the Opera, are all extensions of ourselves placed in a context that most intelligent people can understand. I see a LOT of myself in these misunderstood fellows! I was an extremely shy and introverted little boy growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana in the late fifties and sixties. The “Shock Theater” package was being sold at the time to stations around the country. Most stations created a local ghoul or mad doctor to introduce the films. In my local area, we had Nightmare Theatre horror host Sammy Terry!  I LOVED those magical Friday nights when I could immerse myself in those glistening, silver gray, shadow filled, storm drenched masterpieces of gothic horror. Although, the master, Boris Karloff, hated that description of what he did and preferred to refer to his “babies” as TERROR films!  I saw myself in those misunderstood, perceived “monsters.”  I too was outcast somewhat and misunderstood by many! Still am ha!


TPL NYC: Do you have a favorite monster that you enjoy following and drawing the most?

DH: My favorite monster to watch is The Creature From the Black Lagoon. Again, I can relate to this shy, imposed upon creature simply trying to live his life and be left alone. My favorite monster to draw, however, is the Frankenstein Monster. Boris Karloff’s interpretation, of course 

TPL NYC: What was the first monster movie/book/t.v. show that you remember seeing?  

DH: Wow…the very first one? Hmm… probably the original 1931 Frankenstein. I remember it took me a couple of tries to get through it.  Obviously, it made quite an impression on me!

TPL NYC: You have a preference it seems for the old B-movies and horror movies of the 40’s and 50’s. What is it about this time period that you like so much?

DH: That’s true!  Well…for one, I am of that time period! I was born in 1955. I think it was just a wonderful time when all the “stars” aligned to create this great golden era of fantasy and science fiction films! We will never see the like again. Great directors such as James Whale, Tod Browning, Karl Freund, Earl C. Kenton, Roy William Neil, also great actors and actresses such as (Boris) Karloff, Lon Chaney Sr. and Jr., Bela Lugosi, George Zucco, Lionel Atwill, Dwight Frye, Peter Lorre, Vincent Price, Gale Sondergaard, Evelyn Ankers, etc…a wonderful era!

(Hardy's rendition of The Creature from the Black Lagoon)

TPL NYC: How do you feel about the state of horror movies today? What do you like about them and not like about them?

DH: The state of horror films today?!  Uhh…don’t get me started! Ha! Seriously, I don’t see the quality of acting or the strong hand of a GREAT director in today’s films. I don’t believe that they are character driven stories anymore. Everything today is special effects and “bigger is better!”  Some of the best horror films ever made were made for little money and the directors and actors had to build that story for us and make it immersive to us.  I see that lacking in today’s work. I’ll stop there.

TPL NYC: You share a very famous birthday with a famous horror icon? Who is it?

DH: Yes I do!  The one and only “Karloff the Uncanny” and his daughter Sara are also born on November 23rd. No wonder we have a connection!

TPL NYC: Do you feel that you share a lot of similar qualities to Karloff?

DH: I would like to think so. According to his lovely daughter Sara Karloff, he was a gentle, loving man who had a special affection for children and dogs. I’d like to think he and I shared a work ethic as well, do the best you can at whatever it is called upon you to do! Give one hundred percent EVERYTIME!

TPL NYC: Have you gotten a chance to meet any of the people that you have drawn? What was that experience like?

(Hardy's rendition of Karloff as the monster)

DH: I’ve met many of my youthful idols. I’ve met Van Williams who played the Green Hornet on
t.v. I’ve met three of the Hammer Girls Martine Beswick, Caroline Munro,  and Veronica Carlson, I’ve met Judith O’dea, but probably my biggest thrill so far has been presenting gifts sketches to my all time crush the lovely Miss Julie Adams of  The Creature From the Black Lagoon fame and Richou Browning who played the Creature in all three films! When I met Miss Adams, the first time I couldn’t even talk to her, my wife Tracy had to go up to her and ask her if I could get an autograph and a picture!  

Another of my favorite subjects that I’ve met is Miss America 1955 and well known actress Miss Lee Meriwether! She is one of the nicest and most beautiful women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting!  I’ve met Miss Barbara Steele who made all of those iconic Italian gothic masterpieces in the sixties. I’ve met Miss Sara Karloff, daughter of my favorite monster maker Boris Karloff! A HUGE thrill! I’ve met Lon Chaney, the grandson and great grandson of Lon Chaney Sr. and Lon Jr. I’ve been a very fortunate man!

TPL NYC: How long does it usually take you to compose an image from initial conception to finished drawing?  

DH:  I work FAST! I usually get an idea for a piece, research images, and decide on a particular one that says what I want it to say and then I go at it!  I find that if I work to slowly, I start over thinking the process. I like to channel that original enthusiasm into the final product!  Depending on the size and detail…perhaps one to two hours!

(Hardy's portrait of Vincent Price)

 TPL NYC: Tell me about some of your travels? What are some of the places you have gone to in order to promote your work? Are there any special conventions or exhibits that you have showcased at?

DH: I’ve been to quite a few conventions. My favorite is the Monster Bash held annually in Mars, Pennsylvania. It’s three days of immersive monster fun! This past “Bash” I was especially honored to have some of my artwork in Monster Bash Magazine. It made the experience that much more satisfying for me!  I’ve had my work at several different venues such as the Clifton Comics Expo, Hasbrouk Heights Comic Show, Sketch Con, The Geek Flea Market, and I did Free Comic Book Day at Comic’s Explosion in Nutley. I’ll be the guest artist of the month at the upcoming Wayne, New Jersey Toy Show. I’ll be down the shore at the Jersey Shore Comic Con. I’ll also be appearing at the SCR, Langhorne Square, PA, Mini-Con at the end of this month!  I keep busy. Ha, ha!

 

(Hardy does Black Canary)

TPL NYC: You also draw some lovely ladies that in a pin-up style. Is there one that you like to draw the most or that you use to reference as inspiration?

DH: Yes, I love to draw pin-up style girls! I love women! I’ve done pieces with Bettie Page, Diane Webber, and I like to just make up my own ideal girl a lot of the time! It makes her more personal for me!  I love the work of Gil Elvgren, Frank Frazetta’s women are gorgeous, Fritz Willis, Zoe Mozart and many great artists who captured the beauty that is woman!

TPL NYC: Aside from monsters, you also do a lot of images of superheroes and comic book characters. What comics got you interested in drawing?

DH: I do some comic book characters. I grew up during the Silver Age of the late sixties and seventies, so I gravitate to those characters. My first idol in comics was Batman. I love the fact that he has no super powers! He is a true hero who is willing to face death every time he combats evil.  I’m a fan of the Sub-Mariner and Green Lantern. [When it comes to] newspaper strips [I liked] The Phantom, Rip Kirby, Hogarth’s Tarzan are some of my favorites!

TPL NYC: Are there any comic book titles that you still follow? If so, which ones are you reading?

DH: I still follow The Rocketeer, when it’s handled correctly. I’m loving this new book combining Eisner’s Spirit with The Rocketeer it looks great! And the story seems solid, which for me is a very important element!

(Hardy's rendition of Jack Nicholsen as the Joker)

 TPL NYC: Aside from you art, what else do you enjoy doing? Any other hobbies or interests that you would like to explore?

DH: I love to read!  I enjoy listening to music. I love nature, walking and taking photographs for possible future paintings!  I like to play the guitar … I LOVE classic film obviously!

TPL NYC: Of all the pieces that you have worked on, which ones have you found to be the most rewarding?

DH: The ones that I feel “flowed” from me. I consider myself an impressionist. I work fast and I strive to build that kinetic energy into my work. When I feel as though every stroke is right, every shadow falls where it should, every highlight is spot on…that’s when I feel I’ve done my job! Ironically, most of the work I thought was my best usually doesn’t illicit a strong response from the public. Ha!

TPL NYC: Also, which ones do you find to be the most challenging? 

DH: Most challenging?  Probably commissions I couldn’t connect to in a personal way. Pieces I had to sort of “piece together” from reference given to me. I’m a very individual (read that as PECULIAR! Ha! ) artist and I find it very difficult to do work that I don’t connect to on some personal level.

TPL NYC: Of all the different characters that you draw, which one do you feel customers have demanded the most?

DH: Easy … Karloff’s Frankenstein Monster!  Although, Godzilla also does quite well, and Mars Attacks! aliens!

(Hardy's rendition of the Wolfman)

TPL NYC:So this blog is about Peculiar People. What is the most peculiar thing you have every witnessed or been a part of in your life that you can recall?

DH: It is ironic and highly appropriate for me to be in an article honoring the peculiar! Since I am proud to count myself amongst them, the most peculiar… I guess me dressing up as a mask luchador at the Monster Bash Night of Mexican Wrestling Films.

TPL NYC: What is the most peculiar thing you have ever experienced in New York City?

DH: I LOVE New York City! [I like] going into the city at Christmas time to experience Rockefeller Center and seeing a group of clowns talking to Santa Clause. AWESOME!

To learn more about David Hardy you can follow him on his Facebook page Retro Reflections and Modern Impressions of David G. Hardy. His

portfolio is also featured on the main page on the official Boris Karloff website (www.karloff.com).

To meet him in person, Hardy will be a guest artist at the Wayne, New Jersey Toy Show on Saturday, October 6^th.  Then you can see him at the Jersey Shore Comic Con on November 3^rd in Forked River, N.J. You can find out more on his Facebook page.

 

(Hardy combines Bettie Page with Wonder Woman)

 

Peculiar Person of the Month: Yumi of The Oishii Project

 

By
David Rondinelli

Yumi

Yumi is a member of Oishii Project who has taken her love of fashion and singing into the group to become one of its strongest members. At 3’11” Yumi packs a powerhouse of time management into her day between performing, learning new dance routines, and being the group’s event coordinator, proving that it really is the little things that matter. Aside from being a part of Oishii Project, she is also a singer/songwriter for a second band called Psycho Bando all while being a champion gamer at Animal Crossing. Yumi was kind enough to talk to This Peculiar Life NYC about all that it entails to being an online singer.  

This Peculiar Life NYC: Tell me how you found out about Oishii Project and what made you want to be a part of this group?

Yumi: I’ve been active with looking for auditions involving both acting and singing, and I happened to stumble on Oishii Project from a Google search of auditions. Curious, I checked it out and I’ve always been into Japanese music, culture, and fashion so I decided to give it a go!

TPL NYC: On some of the videos, the girls refer to their time in the group as "generations". How long is a generation in Oishii terms, and what generation are you?

Yumi: The term generations is used to indicate seniority in the group. For example, if you were among the first group of girls to get accepted into Ichigo (strawberry), Kiwi, or Lychee, you would be considered a first generation member. [We also have  Mini Cherries who are the girls in training.] Since Micchi and I are among the second group of girls to join Ichigo, we are considered second gen. members.

TPL NYC: Along the same lines, I hear that the girls are split into groups. What group are you in? Did you get to pick, or did you get assigned?

Yumi: I’m in the Oishii! Ichigo group. We didn’t get to pick our groups. Instead, we were assigned to our groups.

TPL NYC: Do you ever get shuffled around to different groups?

Yumi:  Each group was formed to bring out the strengths in each group of girls. Ichigo is both sweet and sour, so musically, our group personifies those certain characteristics. Kiwi is tart… ish. Hahaha! I love kiwis, they’re delicious. Anywho, the music for the Kiwi group is a little more edgy. Lychee is sweet, therefore the Lychee group has music that’s more… well in my words ‘cutie pop’! I make up my own genres of music too, can’t you tell, ha, ha, ha!

TPL NYC: What is your favorite part of performing with the group and what is the hardest?

Yumi: Oh man, it’s so hard to say what my favorite part is when it comes to performing with them. As a part of the U.S. branch, we haven’t been given the opportunity to make our debut yet. The U.K. branch, however, has had many performance opportunities! Lucky girls! 

It is much easier for the UK girls, though. Here in the U.S. we’re so spread out, so coming together for a performance can be costly. Come back to me again next year, and I promise I’ll have something to say about in terms of performance!

TPL NYC: I know there are auditions; could you tell me what the audition process is like to become a part of the group? In the same vein, what was your audition and how did you put it together?

Yumi: I have a terrible memory, but if I remember correctly, we were told to put together a video that contains two minutes of introduction, two minutes of singing one song in Japanese, two minutes of singing another song, and finally, two minutes of dancing. I had such a hard time with my audition because I talked a LOT, and I couldn’t just say something in two minutes without having to cut an extra four or five minutes of talking. Everything took so much time for me. I wasn’t used to filming myself, so I had to film everything separately and then put it all together at the end.

 

TPL NYC: What are rehearsals like? Do you ever choreography you own routines? If not, how long does it take you to learn one?

Yumi: Rehearsals are normally by myself. For learning music, it really depends on how much time I have for learning a song. Generally, I’ll listen, sing-along several times, and work on areas that have a harder time memorizing. Dancing is a different story. I’ll admit, when it comes to dancing, I have two left flippers, haha! If I have to memorize a dance, I’ll set up an hour or two during the day where I’ll practice my dancing. It also helps to be in a group full of other girls that dance! So if I ever have any questions, I can always run to one of my girls to help me out.

TPL NYC: What do you feel it is about yourself that makes you stick out from the other girls?

Yumi: I’m fun-sized!

TPL NYC: You want to be a singer/songwriter. Who are some of your influences in style and music that made you want to pursue this?

Yumi: Some of my biggest influences are Cream Vision, Utada Hikaru, Koda Kumi, Mika Nakashima, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, M-Flo, Whitney Houston, Ne-Yo, and just recently I’ve been listening to some K-POP too! Like 2NE1 and Girl's Generation.

TPL NYC: Is it difficult to write music?

 

 

Yumi: It really is different for everyone. What works best for me might not exactly be what works best for someone else. I personally take a little longer to write music than I would like to, but it’s something I’m continually working on. Hopefully I’ll get much better at it!

TPL NYC: Of the original songs that you have written, which one do you enjoy performing the most?

Yumi: My performances are usually in front of an American demographic, so I usually perform “Dear Cupid”.

TPL NYC: You have so many different looks. Just about every Vlog you do, you look different. Is it hard for people to recognize you with so many different looks?

Yumi: I LOVE exploring with fashion and playing around with the different sub-styles of *gyaru. I haven’t thought too much about whether or not people would recognize me online. It might be a little more difficult to pick me out online, but offline I’ll probably be the first person you notice.

 

*Gyaru are various fashion styles dependant on different subcategories, but generally describes glamorizing tanned skin, blonde hair and old Hollywood glamour.

 

TPL NYC: Either way, how do you approach creating a new look? What do you use as inspiration? And how long does it take to make yourself look like that?

Yumi: I’m a big fan of the Japanese gyaru style. It’s something that I’ve been immersed in for about five years now, so that’s where I take my main inspiration from. When I’m feeling playful though, I’ll look at some favorite artists, music videos, or even fashion brands to mix and match. For a video, I usually have an outfit put together in 10-15 minutes. It’s fun! However, the downside to all of this is that my room simultaneously gets turned upside down.

Yumi in cosplay

TPL NYC: What is it about the J-Pop/ Cosplay look that appeals to you?

Yumi: I feel like the Japanese street styles I love look very unique, glamorous, playful, and cute! Gyaru itself has many substyles of its own! All of it is art! There are so many different styles, but at the end of the day, it all boils down to your own individual look as a result of how you feel you can best express yourself.

 

 

TPL NYC: Are you an anime/ manga fan, does that inspire your look? If so, do you ever cosplay as a certain character?

Yumi: I was much more into anime/ mange when I was in middle school and high school. I think I love my games a little more.

TPL NYC: What anime and manga do you enjoy watching and reading, and what got you into it?

Yumi: The last manga I was reading was Barajou no Kiss, I love the Aya Shouto’s art! When it comes to anime, I love mysteries and ghost stories, so shows like Umineko no Naku Koro Ni, Ghost Hunt, and Another are right up my alley.

TPL NYC: Tell me about the new Oishii Boot Camp? Why was that created, and what does the boot camp entail? I've heard on some of the vlogs that they have to turn things in. What do they have to turn in and what happens if they don't?

Yumi: The Oishii Bootcamp was done to encourage audience interaction, hone our skills, and to give fans and viewers a chance to get to know us. Most of the challenges were vlogs. The most recent one, however, was more of a musical challenge. Next to everything else that the public sees, behind the scenes, we also had various miscellaneous assignments we were required to turn in for the bootcamps. If any group fails to have all their individuals turn their assignments in on time, the entire group will be subject to punishment!

TPL NYC: Do you see Oishii Project as a stepping stone into more mainstream scene or do you like being a part of this niche?

Yumi: I hate looking at things as “stepping stones”. When I choose to become a part of something, I will try to give it my all. I don’t exactly feel like I completely fit in to the idol niche. However, I feel as if Oishii! Project does not completely conform to the idol stereotypes either.



Yumi with fellow Oishii member Jenny.

TPL NYC: One of your Vlogs mentions that you are tiny in stature. You also have a very cute look, do you feel that this makes you more marketable in something like Oishii Project?

Yumi: I am 3’ 11” totally fun-sized and fun-loving. Oishii! Project has a very cute vibe, so it never hurts to add to it.

TPL NYC: Aside from singing and songwriting, do you enjoy any other endeavors or hobbies?

Yumi: Aside from singing and songwriting, I also love fashion, nail art, working out, playing video games (holler at you Animal Crossing players!), and reading!



 

TPL NYC: How did you come up with your name Yumiko?

Yumi: The Kanji for Yumiko is 由美子, and it means Reason Beauty Child. It sounds fierce, strong – maybe a little bit diva. The name itself, however, sounds playful and cute.

TPL NYC: If you weren’t in Oishii Project, what do you think you would be doing?

Yumi: Outside of Oishii! Project, I’m involved in another band called Psycho Bando. So I would probably just have more time working on Psycho Bando as well as some of my other original pieces.

TPL NYC:  With a busy schedule, what is a typical day like for you?

Yumi: It depends on what day of the week it is. Sometimes I have band practice with Psycho Bando in the evening, and I usually have work three to five days a week. Recently I was also accepted as a staff member for Oishii! Project, and I am now in charge of U.S. booking and event coordinating, so Sundays I’ll have a morning staff meeting to attend to for Oishii! Project as well. In between all that time, I’ll have housework that I take care of, music recordings, and practice. When I can squeeze some more time in, I’ll be scoping the net for auditions.
 

TPL NYC: What does your family think of you being a part of Oishii Project?

Yumi: My family is very supportive! It’s a great experience to be part of a net idol group.

TPL NYC: Do you feel like you have had to sacrifice a lot of your personal life to be a part of Oishii Project?

 

 

 

Yumi: If you want to succeed in anything, sacrifices are inevitable. It’s great time management practice. I’m lucky that the people I love and care for are very supportive of what I do.

TPL NYC:  What are some upcoming events that Oishii Project has coming up?

Yumi: The Mini Cherries, our trainee group, are having their graduations soon! Right now they are going through a testing period. Some will be going into our pre-existing groups, and I have heard talk of perhaps a new mini group or two. We are also planning a U.S. Oishii! Project debut, so keep a look out for that in the next coming months!

 

June’s Peculiar Person of the Month: Mistress B.

By
David Rondinelli

Mistress B. in her element

Every now and then a person comes along that isn’t just eye catching to interview, but also makes me a downright fan. Mistress B. is that person. The first time I encountered her was at the Museum of Sex. In celebration of their exhibit on the history of the condom, I was greeted to the statuesque mistress with her flaming red hair and full length leather garb. Standing next to her made me feel like she would whisk me away in a hot air balloon much like a certain wizard attempted to do with Dorothy. I sure wasn't gonna miss this ride. A blend of Blade Runner and Mad Max, meets Master's of the Universe, Mistress B. can leave you laughing in stitches while tying her latex into knots of hand crafted gold.

Originally from Minneapolis, she moved to South Carolina with her family. Graduating with a BA, she felt the big apple calling her, so she came to study acting. Along the way, she has accomplished everything from stand-up and sketch comedy, and commercial acting. She is even the co-author of a menopause pop-up and activity book called MenOpop. Among her finest talents, this mistress is perhaps best known for her assorted balloon creations that can raise eyebrows as well as smiles.

Fast forward a few years, when a night on the town led me to cross paths again with this lady of latex. Between her beaming smile that stretches as far as her balloons (all kept handy in her functional costume pockets) she sculpted me a doll-size version of herself. It allowes everyone to take a little piece of her home. Read all about her inflatable coolness as Mistress B. is a very special interview and June's very special Peculiar Person of the Month.    

This Peculiar Life NYC: One big question is how did you learn to make the dirty balloon creations? Was there a class offered or did you take the sculptures route where you could see the object in the balloon before you make them? 
 
Mistress B: I already knew how to twist balloons. I had been doing comedy on cruise ships, and I got off one of the contracts and said to myself, "Steady gigs are awesome! How do I get one on land?" I knew a lot of very talented performers and actors who were quite successful as children's entertainers, and it seems in the "variety world", you either make a living performing for kids or for adults.  I like kids, but I hate their parents. Since I had already done stand-up comedy, performing for adults was very comfortable for me.  The idea for adult balloons came to me when I was at a Ricky's and I saw a book/kit called "Rude Balloons" and it all clicked for me. 

My first "adult balloons" were adaptations of what I already knew how to make (it's a slippery slope from swords to penises) and sculptures that were in that book.  Later, I began going to balloon conventions. (Yes, there are such things, and I am very controversial in the "balloon community.") That community is pretty conservative, so there are no classes per se for adult sculptures.  I do have a balloon buddy from Vegas who has taught me a few things, but mostly I have to adapt from classes taught for kids' sculptures.  The "happy ending" on the penis is the smoke for Thomas the Tank Engine.

TPL NYC: You mentioned that you once dated a clown, how does one meet a clown? Where you once part of a circus?

MB: Actually, I was married to a clown.  We met when I was doing sketch comedy at an underground downtown theatre space; he was doing sketch comedy in a different troupe. I have never officially been in a circus, but through him I met many circus people, and now I perform with adult circus and variety shows, such as the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus (not a misspelling.) Circus people are great.  They're always reinventing themselves, and I love that.

TPL NYC: You perform with many burlesque troops and erotic themed reviews, what is it about those venues that appeal to you?
MB: Overall, I like inventive, subversive entertainment. It doesn't have to be sexually explicit or even suggestive. I simply enjoy performances that challenge an audience to question what they thought they knew. And I like that subversive kind of entertainment best when it reaches a "mixed" or non-underground crowd.  I have ambivalent feelings about burlesque itself.  Like many subversive art forms, when it's good, it's GREAT, but when it's therapy for someone who wants to feel better about their body, then I sort of lose interest. 

TPL NYC: How did you create the character of Mistress B? What is the “B” short for?

MB: As I said before, when I saw "Rude Balloons" something clicked.  I already did a comedy German Chanteuse, so when I saw that book. I thought, "That's it!  I'll do adult balloons! I'll be a comedy dominatrix! I'll do that bad German accent, and wear something black, and that'll be my steady gig!" Honestly, I suspect that the idea of creating a dominatrix character came to me for two reasons:
1) I wanted people do to what I told them to do.
2) The juxtaposition of looking scary and doing something whimsical is funny.

The B stands for "Balloon". 

TPL NYC: How long have you been doing this brand of performance art and how did you get into it?

MB: I've been doing Mistress B for 7 years.  I pretty much wandered into Lips Restaurant and asked them if I could twist balloons there for tips, and they said yes.  For the first year, I didn't have my motorized boob costume, so I just used a hand-pump.  It was a great experience, because I was able to develop a character week after week in front of an audience, and for the first year, it was without the gimmick of the costume.  I learned to do little shows at each table and to really interact with the audience, which, ironically, I didn't do when I did stand-up. 
Later, after I had my current costume built, I was more “bookable” and could perform in variety/burlesque shows and in other venues. 

TPL NYC: When it comes to latex are you actually interested and part of that fetish community, or is it another venue to perform at? Have you always been fascinated with it? If so, what do you feel started it?
MB: I am not a fetishist. (Sorry, everybody!) I like balloons a lot, but I don't love balloons. However, there is a quality about balloons that is both harmless and scary, because balloons are whimsical, and yet, all of a sudden they can alarmingly pop.  Balloons create a sort of instant suspense: there is a tension that builds in an audience wondering, "Is it going to pop? Isn't it going to pop?" That tension is something I like to play with, and I understand that the tension happens to be something that fetishists like. I also understand that messing with an audience and holding them in a state of tension is a bit sadistic on my part (I'm okay with that). But I'm not part of the community. I actually get eczema on my hands from the latex. Eczema is HOT.
When I began twisting balloons, I got into it merely because I needed money. I already knew how to knit, and my clown husband looked at me while I was knitting once and said, "I bet you could twist balloons." 

TPL NYC: How did you come up with your outfit? Did you make it yourself, or did you see it hanging on a rack somewhere and think it was perfect for your persona?

MB: I got it at Macy's. Actually, I had the costume custom-made. In fact, I bartered with the person who made my costume--I taught her knitting, and she built it for me. 

TPL NYC: Speaking of clothing? Do you change your costumes much, or do you need to keep the same outfit for your air nipple?

MB: I have been building a couple of new costumes so that I have different looks, but I find them sort of boring.  I feel like I have to look intimidating for the joke to really land.  And it doesn't feel quite the same when people aren't slightly uncomfortable and wondering what the hell I'm up to.
TPL NYC: Your outfit fits a fetish look, but it is also functional, how did you get that nipple to spray air?
MB: Very dangerous European Hormones. 

TPL NYC: Is it hard leaving the house dressed like that? Do people approach you when you are dressed in your gear?

Mistress B. without the balloons
but still stylish

MB: I no longer leave the house dressed in the entire costume.  I will wear my makeup and sometimes a wig, but I think it's safest for me to look sort of unglamorous, or more accurately, as if I am going to work, as opposed to looking like “this is how I live my life”.  The more completely done up I am, the more likely it is that I will be mistaken for a drag queen (which is absolutely fine with me most of the time). When I am out and in my costume and that happens, I sometimes attract attention that I'm uncomfortable with.  I'm fine making people uncomfortable in a safe space, but not on the subway.  When you make people uncomfortable on the subway, they want to punch you.

TPL NYC: What are some of your balloon specialties that you can make?

MB: Genitals, strippers on poles, a hat with lips and a tongue, handcuffs, whips, slave collars, a go-go boy, a self-portrait, and then anything people ask for (though I frown on making animals with penises, unless it's two balloon dogs making puppies). Oh, and I won't make diseases. 

TPL NYC: Of the balloon creations that you can do, which one do you like making the most?

MB: I like many of them for different reasons. I like the Vagina, because it's funny to make someone re-experience the miracle of birth; I like the Penis, because I hit people in the face with it, which is outrageous; I like the Lips, because they're fast, but people really appreciate them; and I like making a self-portrait, because, if people are sober enough to pay attention, they can't figure out what on earth I'm making till I reveal at the end, and the reveal often gets applause. 

TPL NYC: Which one of your balloon creations is the hardest to make?

MB: The ones I've been doing for a while that are in my repertoire are, by now, easy for me. The hardest things to make are things I have never made; they become a puzzle I have to figure out on the spot.  Recently, it's been a chef's toque.  

TPL NYC: I was able to get a figure that looks like you. How do you know where to put the balloons to make something as complex as a self portrait complete with all the details?

MB: Lots of experience with latex. 

TPL NYC: Is this a full time gig for you, or do you have any other persona’s you have created?

MB: This is a full-time gig for me, but I have created many different characters over the years. Most recently I've created a comedy Eurythmics tribute band called "Your Rhythm Mix" for which I am the Annie Lennox-type front person. Imagine that the Eurythmics never made it and have to play covers for money.  We'll be playing 80s alternative, Eurythmics, and contemporary songs as if the Eurythmics did them. (Like Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" in that obsessive, dark Eurythmics' style.) We premiered in May, and the response was better than either my partner or I anticipated.  It's good to keep doing new things.  It helps keep the old things fresh.

TPL NYC: What does your family and friends outside the performance art world think of what you do?



Mistress B. shows off her many talents

MB: My mother doesn't know how to tell her friends about what I do. Once, while I was visiting, we were with her friends. One of the ladies complimented me on my sweater, and my mother said quickly, "Yes, she made that sweater. She teaches knitting." (Though I have taught knitting, I certainly have never made anything close to a living at it.)  So later, I said to my mom, "You know, you can just tell your friends that I twist balloons for a living.  That's true."

My brother is both impressed by the fact that I make a living doing something weird, and wants me to be a lawyer. 


 

TPL NYC: How long have you been doing this? Was this a calling you had your whole life, or was this something that you stumbled into?

MB: I never in a million years expected that I'd be doing this.  

TPL NYC: Where are some of the regular places that you perform at?

MB: Weekly at Lips Restaurant and the Cubbyhole, and sometimes at Club XL, the Penthaus, the Ritz, and the Box. For the last five years, I have also been in a bi-weekly Broadway-style variety show called "Broadway Varietease", which will go on hiatus for the summer, but will resume in the fall.  

TPL NYC: I saw on your website that you perform in the Latex Lounge. Is this a show that you created yourself? How do you pick which acts you want to do and use?

MB: Mistress B's Latex Lounge is a 50 minute solo show I created that involves a lot of music, audience participation, and balloons.  I like to choose some musical numbers that are unexpected for Mistress B to do (like the musical standard “I'm Old-Fashioned”) and some that are more obvious, like Sondheim's “I Never Do Anything Twice” which is a Madame's Song.  When I am doing the show, sometimes I'll have a special guest. 

TPL NYC: You also have a slave, how did that relationship get started? Are there any tips you can give readers on how to get a proper slave?

MB: I got my slave when I needed help for my "Crafting with Mistress B" videos, which I hope to post someday soon.  It's important to train your slave properly.  I use tricks from the Dog Whisperer.  Exercise, discipline, and then affection. 

TPL NYC: Aside from the balloon creations, it seems you like to sing and do some comedy. Is it hard to be funny while trying to make a balloon creation?

MB: I don't think it's difficult to be funny while making balloons.  It can, however, be difficult for an audience to notice that you are funny if they are very, very drunk. 

TPL NYC: Same with singing, do you write a lot of your own music?

MB: I think it's very easy to sing and be funny. Millions of better performers than I have done it.  It's harder to figure out how to incorporate balloons into a musical piece.  There's a very thin line between being clever with balloons and being a prop comic.  I try to be both stupid and clever. That's tricky. I write some of my music.  In all situations, I either have recorded my own voice so that I can lip-sync to it (which is good for loud clubs with bad sound systems) or I sing live. 

TPL NYC: You have performed some of Sondheim’s songs, what is it about his music that you like?

MB: Without question, to me, he is the greatest lyricist of our age. I love his internal rhymes, his skill at story and his ability to communicate complex or ambivalent feelings.  I have a not-so-secret fantasy that someday he will see me perform "I Never Do Anything Twice." He might love it, or he might hate it. But he will never have seen the same rendition, that's for sure.

TPL NYC: You are very active with LGBT events. Do you feel that your appeal is suited to gay audiences more?
MB: I feel it sort of happened that way. I don't know exactly why. I have often wondered about performers like Kathy Griffin or Madonna or Lady Gaga or Cher: did they mean to be popular among a gay audience, or did it just happen? I suppose it's a rather obvious thing to say, but I'll say it anyway: whatever audience finds you, it's because you're doing some mysterious something that resonates to them.  In other words, you are all birds of a feather on some fundamental level. And for me, it's a complete love-fest.

TPL NYC: Is there any place you have performed that has been challenging?

MB: One place was a straight club in Clifton New Jersey that was having a Leather & Lace night. The crowd was so "gumbah" that I thought I was going to be gay-bashed in the parking lot. (I should note that I have had many very good experiences performing for straight crowds.) Even the bouncers, supposedly there to protect employees of the club, wouldn't look at me.  Only the women attending the party would talk to me. I was texting a friend the address of the club in case something happened to me.  Even though I happen to be a "real girl” and have ovaries, I was offended by the idea that I should have to say so.  I felt that it shouldn't matter what my plumbing is--I was hired by the club, and I should feel protected.  That was a real eye-opener in terms of what drag queens and transgender folks go through.  And that is a big-time reason I don't walk around the streets of NYC in my costume. Another event was an honest-to-goodness fetish party. During the party, I had to watch a demonstration of "ball-busting", which consisted of a dude getting kicked in the testicles about 20 times by his Dom.  Any curiosity I had of whether I could actually be a real dominatrix was completely quelled. I nearly burst into tears. I don't want to kick somebody in the balls that I DISLIKE, never mind someone that I actually LIKE. No way.

Mistress B. poses in the "No on Prop 8" campaign.

 

TPL NYC: What are some upcoming projects and events for you? Do you stay local to NYC or do you travel?

MB: I am working on a performance/story-telling show which I co-created with Sideshow Darling, The Lady Aye called "Unmasked: Larger than Life Characters and the Average Joes who Inhabit Them", which won the inaugural First of May Award from the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. In the first half of the show, we perform as our characters, and in the second half, we appear out of makeup and costume and tell stories about our exploits. We look forward to having monthly or bi-weekly performances in the fall.  "Your Rhythm Mix" debuted in May, and we hope to pick up steam over the summer and early fall. 

I don't have any travel engagements at the moment, but a couple of years ago I was hired to go to London to perform in a private birthday party in over the summer, and in the fall, flown to Paris to be on a TV show called "Sex Wiz Antoine." It sounds very fancy. I enjoy traveling abroad because it's interesting to see what kinds of people in other countries go to see “adult”, or what I'd rather describe as “grown-up,” entertainment.  For instance, here in NYC burlesque and adult circus are rather underground, and the same rather small audience goes to see these types of shows.  But in London, the burlesque and variety shows were in the same part of town as the big Broadway-type shows, and “nice” people, such as suburban married couples on dates, went to see them.  And the acts in the shows I saw in London were ten minutes long, as opposed to the 5-minute acts here catering to short attention span.I hope to travel more in the near future. 



Mistress B with Lady Aye

TPL NYC: What are some things you enjoy doing outside of being Mistress B? Any fun hobbies or interests?

MB: I'm an avid crafter and DIYer.  Knitting, sewing, repurposing clothing, repurposing wood for small furniture items, cooking, you name it. I like to take things and turn them into other things. For instance, I've made lockets out of mini-Altoids tins, a purse out of gold leather pants (which a friend forbade me to wear), and a “mission-style” mantle-piece from an old media stand. My newest quest is to find a way to make an all-natural lip stain. I am also a part-time astrologer. 

TPL NYC: As a mistress is that something you had to work up to being or is that just a stage name?

MB: It's just a stage name. 

TPL NYC: So this blog is about peculiar people, what is the most peculiar thing you have ever done?

MB: Geez.  Do I have to come up with something else?  

I once did the math, and I believe that over the course of 7 years at Lips, I have hit about 3,000 women in the face with my penis.  That's a lot of balloon penises in the face.

TPL NYC: While in NYC what is the most peculiar thing you have witnessed?

Here you have a choice of one of the three. I can't tell which one reads off the page best.

MB: Years ago, I was with friends in the East Village at a dumpy Ukranian Bar. A cross-dresser (a large, stubbly guy with a receding hairline, girly barrette in his thinning hair, wearing a stained pink sweat suit and white Keds sneakers) sat playing Ms. Packman.  There was a toothless old prostitute yelling to no one in particular, "I Vant Amore! I Vant Your Cock in My Pussy!” Without looking up from the Ms Packman game, the cross-dresser said, "That's Pathetic." 

Mistress B. conquers the cartoon medium

 Tied up in knots over Mistress B? Well you can find out more about her by visiting her website: www.MistressBalloon.com.