Abomination Nursery Scares Up Charity Auction

If you are like any of us at the site here you too appreciate a good bit of gore and the chance of helping others. Our friends over at Abomination Nursery have quite the way to help fill both of these cravings. They are currently hosting two auctions over at eBay wherein all proceeds will go to The Kidney Cancer Association.

The first listing is for a doll named Benjamin and the description reads "Benjamin is an Abomination Nursery original custom horror art doll by Armgardt Richter Rose. This doll was designed by a fan. 100% of sale will be donated to the Kidney Cancer Association."

The second listing is for a doll named Sirius and the description reads "Sirius is an Abomination Nursery original custom horror art doll by Armgardt Richter Rose. This doll was designed by a fan. 100% of sale will be donated to the Kidney Cancer Association."

Both dolls come with what is pictured and include an Abomination Nursery Certificate of Authenticity signed by Armgardt Richter Rose. To see both of these listing please click here or visit http://search.ebay.com/?sass=abominationnursery.

Even Zombie Babies Have A Heart

Abomination Nursery is giving you the opportunity to design and/or own a one-of-a-kind horror piece of art.  With all proceeds going to the Kidney Cancer Association, the winning design will be auctioned off on Ebay.

There are multiple ways to participate in this event with all of them benefitting the cause.  You can submit an original baby doll concept as an image to arr@abominationnursery.com.  You can vote on your favorite idea on their facebook page once all submissions have been posted.  After it is created, you can place a bid on this art piece knowing that 100% of all proceeds will go to the Kidney Cancer Association.  Heck, Zombies & Toys will even throw together a package of fun to send to the winner.  When last I checked, all submissions needed to be in by May 16th.  I apologize for the late notice.

You can use the template below if you wish or design an original idea of your own!

On a personal note, I am fortunate enough to own of of ARR's creations.  These are absolutely stunning in person.  You can read our interview with creator, Armgardt Richter Rose, from last year's Undead Bazaar.  Check out more of his works on the official Abomination Nursery website and on their Facebook page.

Abomination Nursery Contest Winner

The first contest presented by The Undead Bazaar has come to an end. The grand prize winner will be receiving a zombie doll from Abomination Nursery. Several runners-up will receive some other great items also provided by Abomination Nursery.

Congratulations to the winners and don't forget to enter all of the other great contests being presented by The Undead Bazaar!

Grand Prize Winner: Kyra T. of Ontario, Canada

Runners-Up:

Matthew W. from Denver, NC

Nathan H. from Loganville, GA

Gloria S. from Sacramento, CA

Abomination Nursery - presented by The Undead Bazaar

The Undead Bazaar begins with Abomination Nursery's Armgardt Richter Rose. For updates and links throughout the month, make sure to keep an eye on The Undead Bazaar main page.

Abomination Nursery is another one of those names that should sound familiar to readers of Zombies & Toys. We featured Abomination Nursery and their undead babies about a year ago and we are thrilled to have them back. The brand Abomination Nursery was spawned by artist Armgardt Richter Rose in 2006 by a desire to turn thrift store treasures into horror art.

The website, abominationnursery.com, was launched in November of 2008 after giving a doll to a friend as a birthday gift. “The first porcelain doll on the site, Orianna Chantal, is that doll. It was so fun making that doll that I had to keep going.”

So, what has changed, stayed the same, and in the future for Abomination Nursery? ARR informs us that although the finished doll numbers have gone down, there is still plenty in the pipeline. “I’ve been collecting many dolls and doll parts from flea markets and thrift stores and am currently working on a couple different projects right now”, ARR shares. “For the future, I’m looking to change up the website and add a merchandise section where people can get some Abomination Nursery stuff.”

You were first featured on ZT because your works were referred to as "zombie babies". Is that the effect you are going for or is it just a coincidence? As an artist, does that label bother you if it was not the interpretation you intended for your work?
"I started off just wanting to make horror art that was interesting to view. I was never aiming to make realistic mutilated babies. I started referring to my dolls as zombies to help people keep them in the realm of fiction. Most, if not all, of my creations have open eyes, and some are even smiling, so they don’t look dead, they look undead. I’m not bothered by anyone’s interpretation, some people have called them ‘cute’."

With your creations being part doll, part sculpture, what do you call them?
"Even though it seems a little ‘girly’, I usually call them dolls or babies. The porcelain dolls aren’t really babies though, and neither are things like the ‘Macabre Candelabra’. When referring to any of it, I just call it art."

You have a warning on your website; are there people that seriously get that offended? Any interesting stories?
"I put the warning up as a way to take some responsibility for the macabre art I make. Horror fans aren’t really bothered by fake blood ‘n guts, but for those that are, I just wanted to give them a heads up. I have received some nasty e-mails from people letting me know their dislike for my art and giving me some advice on how I can better use my talents. I still have yet to make realistic “reborn babies” or “faeries”."

Armgardt Richter Rose can be reached at arr@abominationnursery.com for those interested in purchasing one of these “dolls”. If you have admired the Zombies & Toys logo feel free to contact Armgardt for your own commissioned piece, “If it sounds like fun, I’m in!” And to hold you over until Abomination Nursery’s merchandise store is up and running, stop by and see what’s available by ARR in the Zombie Toy Store.

And now for some Zombies & Toys staple questions:

Favorite zombie book, game, or movie?
"I’m constantly being told to read Walking Dead so I should probably do that soon. It better live up to the hype. Also, since I’m a board game geek, I like Last Night on Earth. It’s a zombie board game that plays like a B movie."

If you were bitten, would you want shot or would you want left alone to change?
"Although looking like a zombie would be awesome, I don’t like to be a burden, so just shoot me."

If we made a toy of you, would you be a zombie or a survivor? What accessories would you come with?
"Definitely a zombie. Besides kung-fu zombie grip, I’d have removable guts and real shambling action!"

For your chance to win some great Abomination Nursery items including an undead doll, make sure to enter the Abomination Nursery contest!

Abomination Contest - presented by The Undead Bazaar

Abomination Nursery is offering some great prize packages for The Undead Bazaar. That's right, "packages" as-in several items. And, yes, it is plural. So now for what you can win:

Grand prize is a mini zombie created especially for this contest! In addition to the zombie, the grand prize winner will also receive an undead keychain, an Abomination Nursery button set, a magnet set, a necklace, some stickers, and prints of Armgardt Richter Rose's creations.

Several runners-up will also receive stickers, prints, buttons, magnets, keychains, and necklaces.

For good measure, winners can also expect to see some Zombies & Toys swag when their package arrives.

Like most other contests on Zombies & Toys, entering is as easy as emailing your name and address to AN@zombiesandtoys.com.

Only one entry per person, email address, and mailing address, please. For some general FAQ about Zombies & Toys contests, visit our contest info page. While you can only enter this contest once, you are still eligible to enter and win other contests that will be running all month long. Winners for the Abomination Nursery packages will be selected on May 28th.

Learn more about Armgardt Richter Rose and Abomination Nursery here and join the rest of the fun of The Undead Bazaar.

Logo Versions

My opinion is going to be biased when it comes to the Zombies & Toys logo. I've grown quite attached to the image of my favorite dead guy. The original image, and the one you see most often, was designed by Vince Rinaldo while we discussed what I had in mind over a few beers.

Now, one of my favorite things is to see how the logo can be re-imagined by creative minds. Reader, Timothy, sent me his digital interpretation of the version painted by Drew Falchetta. I thought I'd share it along with some of the other versions that have been done (be ready for a huge surprise to be announced later this month).

Timothy Carr:

Krystal Osborne from ZombieHead:

Armagardt Richter Rose from Abomination Nursery:

Drew Falchetta:

Jason Nagy:

Zombies & Toys, An Artist's Interpretation

I wish I had some sort of artistic talent. I've ranted before about some of the great zombie art I've come across and plan on posting a feature about zombie art soon. Thus far, I've mentioned Krystal at Zombie Head, Billy Tackett, and Abomination Nursery. Krystal from Zombie Head was kind enough to send me her interpretation of the Zombies & Toys logo as well as tell us a bit about her process (posted here).

Well, Armgardt Richter Rose from Abomination Nursery sent in his vision as well. You can read about Abomination Nursery including an interview with Armgardt here. Below are the pics of his incredible version of our favorite dead guy. If you think that looks good, make sure to head over to the Abomination Nursery site and view the rest of his creations.

Thanks to both Krystal and Armgardt for lending their talents. If there are any other talented folks out there who would like to be featured with their interpretation, please email me at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com.

Abomination Nursery (those poor, poor dollies)

So I admitted in a previous post that running this website is like having part-time job without the pay. Well, I guess I was a little off. The greatest thing thus far has been all of the people I've been able to meet. I've done my best to share the wealth by posting interviews, products, and links of my findings with the hopes that everyone else would enjoy them also. With that thought in mind, I present Abomination Nursery.

Abomination Nursery was brought to my attention by our friends at Zombie Command and mentioned in a previous post. Abomination Nursery is the creative talents of Armgardt Richter Rose. His amazing works are not quite zombies and not quite toys but have enough of each to warrant a mention here. I figured, anyone who reads this site would find his creations more than interesting so I coaxed him into sparing a bit of his time.

So, I encourage you to head over to Abomination Nursery and peruse through the pictures of Armgardt's twisted dolls. When you're finished, come back and scroll below to see what Armgardt had to say about the ...er, birth of the babies. We'll also see what he had to say when asked my favorite zombie questions as well as how he feels about making my mommy cry.

Tell us about the birth of Abomination Nursery.
I’ve always been inspired by new and interesting art, especially macabre and horror. My love for weird art, combined with my constant “treasure hunting” at local thrift stores was where it all started. I would find old plastic children’s toys, take them apart, and create artworks with them. There wasn’t really any human connection to the art, besides maybe some nostalgia of seeing a dismantled See n’ Say. That’s when I started buying porcelain dolls, repainting them and dying their clothes. I realized that with just a few changes, I could completely change someone’s perception of a once beautiful doll. I eventually started doing the same to vinyl dolls and added more changes by sculpting custom parts. I wanted to get my art out to the public so I designed and created the website. Abomination Nursery was born.

Prior to officially launching AN, how long had you been creating similar pieces?
I started creating the first dolls around the beginning of 2006. I made some porcelain and vinyl dolls over the course of a few months. I eventually just stopped making them and hadn’t really thought much of it. I started back up again in November of 2008, creating Abomination Nursery.

Do you or have you made any pieces using any other medium besides the dolls?
When I find time, I still work with traditional mediums like pencil, pastels, watercolor, etc. I also create 3D sculptures and models, which is closer to what I have my degree in. Not all the art I create is related to horror.

What were you making prior to making the AN dolls?
I wasn’t really making any kind of art at all. I would draw or paint a picture every now and then, or enter an online 3D modeling competition, but that was about it.

What caused or inspired the transition to what we see now?
With each new doll, I try to top the previous one, trying different things. I went from mostly working on porcelains, to now mostly vinyl because I have much more flexibility with vinyl. When most of my limitations of porcelain were taken away, I started making all the fun dolls you see today.

You're obviously a fan of the macabre, where do you draw most of your inspiration?
The unique art on www.whokilledbambi.co.uk has always been a huge inspiration. Artists like HR Giger & horror toys from Todd McFarlane. Jeremi Rimel from Autopsy Babies has always been an inspiration for me.

What movies and music inspire your art?
When coming up with new doll ideas, Cenobites from Hellraiser definitely inspire me. For music, The Misfits just keep me entertained while I work, but could potentially be some subliminal inspiration…

For the horror fans reading, what movies would you say are "must see"?
The Notebook; the amount you cry is horrific. It may seem contradictory, but I mostly enjoy horror movies that are scary because of the plot, and not for over-the-top blood and guts special effects. Rosemary’s Baby and The Shining are two “must see” classics in my book.

I showed your art to my mommy and she cried. How does that make you feel?
I don’t aim to make people upset. I know my art isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Some like it, some hate it. I try to only get my art out to people who are interested in it, and can understand that it’s just fictional. I don’t go into soccer mom forums and post links to my site.

Enough about you. Let's talk zombies! What are some of your favorite zombie books or films and why?
World War Z is amazing, especially on tape. My girlfriend reads Walking Dead, I don’t have that much time, so I just look at all the awesome pictures. Two of my favorite Japanese zombie movies are “Versus” and “Wild Zero” for zombies with guns, and rock n’ roll badassness, respectively.

So we're fighting our way through a horde of zombies and after we finish I confront you about the bite on your arm. Because I'm your friend, I give you the option of walking away or accepting my bullet to the brain. Which option do you choose?
To prevent any “me eating you” accidents, I’d probably take the bullet, but you better have good aim, or I’d be pissed.

What is your zombie contingency plan for when the inevitable zombie apocalypse occurs?
I sleep with two machetes under my mattress and live near a mall.

I'm a self-admitted geek and like toys probably as much as I like zombies. Any geeky habits, hobbies, or collections you would like to confess to? There has to be at least one toy laying around your home you're particularly fond of.
If playing with dolls isn’t geeky enough, I collect a lot of McFarlane toys. My geekiest would have to be all my LOST figures.

To help the psychotic, obsessed fan reading this; Where can your creations be found? How do I buy some? What means do I have to stalk... er... keep up to date with you?
I list all my dolls on my site, www.abominationnursery.com. You can check out all the latest ones, and all the older dolls that are no longer in my possession. I usually auction them off through ebay, but if you see something you like, name your price and we may be able to work something out. Check out the contact section of the site, and you can see all the different channels to stay in touch, including Twitter and Facebook. You can also join the mailing list through the site.

Many thanks for your time. We look forward to hearing more about Abomination Nursery in the future.
Thanks, I’ll definitely keep making creepier and creepier stuff.

Kinda Zombie Kinda Toy

If you take a moment and glance over to the links on your right, you will see some of my favorite zombie site links. Those who follow Zombies & Toys on Twitter will probably see some familiar names. One site in particular that I like to check out is Zombie Command. Very similar to what's going on here; You'll find videos, news, interviews, and more zombie goodness.

Anyhoo... ZC was kind enough to give me a heads-up about this find. It's probably more zombie than toy but could, technically, fit into either category. This piece comes from Abomination Nursery and is hand modified by Armgardt Richter Rose. It is currently on Ebay and can be found here. Here are a few pics but more can be seen by visiting the auction.

Again, thanks to Zombie Command for the info!