Sunday, October 14, 2012

Welcome to the Gorey house...



We wanted to throw in something fun and spooky on this chilly October Sunday, so we've decided to take you all on a journey into the mysterious theater of the Edward Gorey House...

Edward Gorey was a unique writer and illustrator. His work has a very interesting style- the writing being somewhat non-sensical and twisted. But, I find the moody illustrations set in detailed ink to be fascinating, and I love his dramatically engaging stories. I was introduced to his work by a friend, who gave me a copy of the book, The Gnashlycrumb Tinies. It is a truly creative piece that just absolutely tickles my imagination : )  ~ Jess


The Gnashlycrumb Tinies is a simple rhyme - the alphabet set up as a little story. But A isn't for something as innocent as an Apple. Let me tell you about another alphabet- one that's a bit more sinister...


A is for Amy who fell down the stairs
B is for Basil assaulted by bears

C is for Clara who wasted away
D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh

E is for Ernest who choked on a peach
F is for Fanny sucked dry by a leech

G is for George smothered under a rug
H is for Hector done in by a thug

I is for Ida who drowned in a lake
J is for James who took lye by mistake



8 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouthport, MA 02675
(508) 362- 3909
The Edward Gorey house is a great place to learn more about this amazing artist. His writing and illustrations effortlessly capture the essence of the spooky world of mysteries. So, the next time you find yourself in Cape Cod, be sure to stop by and check out this unique museum. It's sure to be an extraordinary day! 


☞ A fun thing to notice while you are walking through the house, if you look closely, you will see the children from the story scattered about in the manner of their death. Out back lies their sparse graveyard; a constant reminder of a character's mortal contribution to the whim of a writer ☟ 


Here's my rendition of the alphabet rhyme: 
You guys know I couldn't resist putting one together!


A is for Abby bitten by a spider
B is for Bucky who drank poisonous cider

C is for Clarice bludgeoned with a chair
D is for Diggory decidedly to fair

E is for Evan tricked by a liar
F is for Fran who got lost in the mire

G is for Gregory who was lost and not found
H is for Hector whose head got stuck in the ground

I is for Isabel worn down by a miser
J is for Jerry who couldn't see through his visor

K is for Karen done in by a hag
L is for Lori kicked by a nag

M is for Morton who lifted a boulder
N is for Nathan who suddenly became older

O is for Offred who married too young
P is for Patience dead of black lung

Q is for Queenie who fell off her rocker
R is for Rosa trampled over by a blocker

S is for Stephen who lost in a fight
T is for Tibby who just wasn't quite right

U is for Unice deathly afraid of mice
V is for Vicus who was not very nice

W is for Walter who tripped over a rock
X is for Xena strangled by a sock

Y is for Yori done in by a lion
Z is for Zelpha who couldn't stop cryin' 

~ JH

Here are a few pictures from my last visit to the Edward Gorey House. Thanks to my dad for taking these awesome shots! Enjoy : ) 

About Edward Gorey:
A truly prodigious and original artist, Edward St. John Gorey (1925-2000), gave to the world over one hundred works, including The Gnashlycrumb Tinies, The Doubtful Guest, and The Wuggly Ump; prize-winning set and costume designs for the innumerable theater productions from Cape Cod to Broadway; a remarkable number of illustrations in publications such as The New Yorker and The New York Times, and in books by a wide array of authors from Charles Dickens to Edward Lear, Samuel Beckett, John Updike, Virginia Wolf, H.G. Wells, Florence Heide, and many others... 





Spooky fireplace!
















Edward Gorey's sketch pad






















26 comments:

  1. Jess - What a wonderful post! Not sure if I've tripped across Gorey's artwork before, as it does look vaguely familiar (love it!). That had to be loads of fun visiting the museum. Thank you for sharing the pix & poem. <3

    Yours is also deliciously creepy, and I think you captured the *spirit* (pun intended lol) of the alphabet rhyme perfectly :D

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    1. Hi MAD, Thanks so much! Edward Gorey is one of my mentors as far as writers/illustrators go- I've always had a thing for his art! I think it's amazing, and he had no formal training- inspiring! Thanks so much for stopping by! We love to hear your thoughts and comments : ) ~ F

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  2. Thanks for sharing all these photo. Looks awesome and I had a virtual visit too!

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    1. Hi Nas, You're welcome! Edward Gorey is fascinating and we hope you enjoyed reading about him : ) Great to hear from you! ~ F

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  3. Excellent twisted poem! Would love to visit Gorey's house. What fun!

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    1. Hi Cate, It's such a fun, twisted tale- his work is excellent! I hope you get to check it out sometime! Fabulous to hear from you : ) ~ F

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  4. I love, love, love all the info on Edward Gorey!! That alphabet of his was hysterically funny (and yours too). Thanks for giving me great laughs today. :-)

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    1. Hi Lexa, Always a pleasure to spread some cheer! So happy that we made you smile! Thanks for popping over- great to hear from you : ) ~ F

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  5. Nice, nice, super nice! And hilarious. The Gorey illustrations remind me of Tim Burton's works. Thanks for giving me the laughs, too!

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    1. Hi Claudine, His work definitely has that moody appeal to it- So happy to make you laugh today! Lovely to hear from you : ) ~ F

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  6. I love Edward Gorey and I think a visit to his house would be lots of fun (like visiting Sleepy Hollow at Halloween). Your version of the poem is awesome and the photos make it all look like such such. Thanks for sharing all this.

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    1. Hi Alex, Thanks so much for stopping by to share your thoughts with us! I had a blast coming up with my own version of the poem : ) ~ F

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  7. And now I want to go to there.

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    1. Hi Libby, We hope you get there soon! It's definitely worth the trip if you're in the area : ) Thanks so much for stopping by! ~ F

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  8. Loving both these verses but especially the thought of Xena strangled by a sock.

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    1. Hi Petty, Isn't that a funny image : ) Great to hear from you! ~ F

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  9. Never heard of him, but I wonder if that's where the word "gory" came from. :D
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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    1. Hi Nutshcell, I think his last name is so poignant too! Thanks for stopping by- lovely to hear from you : ) ~ F

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  10. OMG...I love all of the photos...perfect for this time of year!

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    1. Hi Patty, Thanks! We are happy to share them with you : ) Always fabulous to hear from you! ~ F

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  11. how fun! love your poem!!! I STILL would be afraid to visit.

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    1. Annmarie- Thanks! I am so glad you enjoyed the poem. :) ~Jess

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  12. What an absolutely fascinating post. My first introduction to Edward Gorey was a pop up version of the doubtful guest – I was hooked from the moment, I opened the covers! I would love to visit the Edward Gorey house.

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    1. Barbara- Thanks! The pop up book sounds fabulous! I think you would enjoy the Edward Gorey house! :) ~Jess

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  13. Oh my, it's a little too scary for me.

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