By Bridney C.
It is a pleasure to interview Stabby McGoo for the Sweet Scoop.
Stabby McGoo is a pseudonym for a visual artist originally from Groton, Connecticut, but is currently residing in New London. She is a self-taught artist who learned at home and repeated the "basics" she learned from school such as anatomy, shading, and still life.
She also drew a lot of Jamie Hewlett characters in her free time. During middle school and high school, she had a few art teachers who gave her additional exercises one-on-one, and one teacher even brought her to a museum.
"As far as coming from an art background, I feel like a lot of it I picked up on my own," says Stabby.
Her grandmother was a hobby artist who made a lot of landscape paintings. Her sister also crochets and she has a cousin who has pursued a career in art as a full-time artist.
"I can't remember a time in my life where I didn't have the urge to create art," says Stabby.
Bridney C: What does your artwork represent? On average, how long does it take for you to complete an art piece?
Stabby McGoo: I think overall it's an emotional state I'm in or feeling. Hence a lot of my ghouls and babes will have exaggerated expressions or an emotion-based statement on their shirt. Even repetitive symbols such as third eye open or closed, crowns, teeth, or animals all represent something. I feel like a lot of my art looks like fun doodles, but each I make with the intent of expressing myself. I'm not super great at expressing myself verbally. I have gotten better, but I am no expert. Over the years, art has been my way of dealing with my frustrations or depression. Or what makes me happy or excites me. My pieces range from 15 minutes or months. I am picky, so if I feel like something is not going to come out the way I want it, I will put it on the back burner and make a million things in between until I know that project will come outright.
BC: What made you come up with the name, Stabby McGoo?
SM: I have had the nickname "Stabby" for years and it started in high school. My mom runs a home daycare and one of the kids could not pronounce my name "Stephanie," so she called me "Stabby" instead. It caught on with a few friends and I hate my name, so I started using it online when I played video games or whatever. Stabby just feels like me. And the McGoo part of it... That happened recently. I was watching a video and someone said "stabbymcgoo" it was either a tenhundred art video or a diorama thing. Either way, I was like "yup, I found my last name."
BC: You incorporate a lot of neon colors as well as scary imagery into your art? Are you a fan of all things horror?
SM: Yes, I love horror. Especially the classic, cheesy, sometimes scary, and sometimes funny horror. I also love monster movies, horror manga, anime, and horror comics. I would be lying if I didn't say they haven't influenced me and my work. I think my art embodies all my influences and emotions. I like showing horrific aspects in brighter light, or a norm in my weird little art world. I think that is what has been drawing me towards clowns as of late. I have dabbled with the idea of wearing masks to blend in with older pieces, but I think a sad clown exudes my message. I have not given up on ghoul gang, but for now, I think I'm going to explore sad clowns a little more.
BC: Name and describe the top three favorite artworks you have created.
SM: It would be my first lady ghoul. She embodied this mood of "fuck I'm tired." She was just chilling in her panties, tank top with a messy bun, and some slippers. I just connected with this burnt out but trying to live her life type of character on too many levels. She also sparked my ghoul gang initiative.
Now, this brings me to the "Ghoulified Creeper." Let me just say, I love comics. Reading comics sparked my imagination. One of my favorite characters was The Creeper. I remember first seeing him in the Batman animated series and drawing him over and over again. I think it was last year or maybe two years ago I drew a ghoulified creeper. So him but with no pupils and sharp teeth. I have been stuck on this ghoul train for a while until recently when I made a sad clown. The last one is the clown and another ghoul with scaly skin and blacked-out eyes. I think they're the first thing I created on my iPad that I liked. Most of the art I create and post, I look at it an hour later and just hate immensely. But I look back and still love these three.
BC: Is there an element and medium you enjoy working with most?
SM: No, I love multimedia and experimenting with new things constantly. I just love being able to create in any form.
BC: What is one piece you are currently working on or you recently finished? What type of meaning does it hold for you?
SM: I never work on one thing at a time. I am trying to expand to clothing. I was looking at third party places to add to my online shop, but I'm very picky about t-shirts and leggings. I have made one that I'm okay with so far... And I also want to make ghoul heads out of resin. I love toys and action figures. Just for fun I've been dabbling with making figures of my drawings for about a year on the sidelines and think I'm finally getting the hang of it. Aside from like 10 started digital drawings and a comic, I have been making these big mixed paintings. As far as meaning goes, my art is a reflection of my self-expression and how I'm feeling at the moment. It is something I need to get out of my system.
BC: Where might your artwork be displayed? And if not, where can your "fans" view that art piece?
SM: Well, as far as finding my art in places other than Instagram, I will try to find places to submit as soon as the state opens back up. I do have stickers and encourage folks to spread goblins, ghouls, and clowns around. Ghoul it. Get 'em everywhere. My dream is to be able to one day make a mural somewhere.
BC: If you could choose a theme song for your art, what would it be?
SM: Fuuuuudge. I like this question, but it's a tough one. Maybe "Deformative" by The Black Keys or "Sick Shit" by Together PANGEA. "Common People" by Pulp? I have no clue.
To see more from Stabby McGoo, be sure to follow her on Instagram
@stabbymcgoo and check out her website StabbyMcgoo.bigcartel.com.
NOTE: Due to site maintenance, Stabby's online store will
not be up and running until the end of June.