Isaac Bidwell: Thrills, Chills, Monsters, and Fun

Isaac Bidwell is a designer and illustrator. The inspiration behind Isaac’s business name, Pickled Punks, comes from side-show specimens that were displayed in jars. Isaac is into side-show gaffs, an example of one is the jackalope. He plans his road trips around weird museums and attractions.  

Isaac is inspired by spook shows. Spook shows started in the 1920s as live magic shows with creepy stuff. They eventually evolved into late night movies wildly popular with teenagers. All kinds of crazy stuff went down such as turning off all the lights and squirting the audience with water and telling them it was blood. 

Isaac gave some great tips for collectors: get to shows before they open, ask if there is anything in the back, share your interests with the proprietor, and try out multiple search terms online. Isaac collects cryptozoology specimens, horror clippings, oddities, Halloween items, and spook show posters. One of his favorite pieces is a Fiji mermaid sculpture by Cody Ryan.  

Isaac’s career tips include: take business classes, listen to your customers for feedback, do pet portraits, expand beyond fan art, set goals, and develop skills in interacting with people especially if that doesn’t come naturally to you. Isaac was shy as a kid but learned how to interact with people by working at a restaurant job.  

The shows that Isaac has participated in include: the Mothman Festival, Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween, Salem weekend art shows in October, countless cryptozoology shows, comic cons, regular art shows, horror shows, and Blob Fest.  

His web site is http://www.pickledpunksplush.com.