Spooky Art Car Scares Customers at Raven's Grin Inn - Jim Warfield

Spooky Art Car Scares Customers at Raven's Grin Inn - Jim Warfield

There aren't many Haunted Inns that come complete with spooky art cars parked in the front but owner and resident Jim Warfield has done his best to give his clients the complete package.

In thetown of Mount Carroll, Ill is where you will find Raven's Grin Inn, a 19th-century mansion that's been turned into awacky house of horrors by Jim Warfield which just happens to be located a block away from a cemetery.

Warfield rescued the house from being demolished about 20 years ago and then went on to fill it
with all kinds of freaky art projects  like the "the last Elvis impersonator" that sits decayingin a wheelchair and of course plenty of creaky, spookyand secret passages. If you are feeling up to it you can get a group of 10 and go on a tour for $10 per person perhour but you must call in advance for reservations.

What got Jim a post here on art car central was one three spooky cars, a  87 Olds station Art Car wagon, "Custom cruiser" with arms that go up and down via a 79 T-Bird Vacuum /headlight door lifter device and a reptile hood with doll trapped in its bloody teeth. I think traveling cross country in one of these with the whole family is scary enough even without the skulls, but that's just me.

It took Jim about 5 years to rebuild his spooky art car to the point were felt comfortable taking it down to the local drag strip that allows anyone to race any car for $10. If speed doesn't kill then definitely a spooky induced heart attack would be enough to beat the competition. Go get em Jim:)

Spooky Art Car Scares Customers at Raven's Grin Inn - Jim Warfield

Spooky Art Car Scares Customers at Raven's Grin Inn - Jim Warfield

Spooky Art Car Scares Customers at Raven's Grin Inn - Jim Warfield

Call of the Syren - Goth 72 Cadilac by Christa Ansbergs

Syren Art Car at Art Car Fest - Photo by Bagel

Christa Ansbergs is the creator of a 72 Cadillac called Syren and is a regular participant at Art Car Fest where I met her. She loves the "goth" look and the darker side of life so she drives an art car to match.

When she went looking for the right car she considered buying a used hearse, but found that they were to expensive and a pain to maintain because parts were harder to come by. So she settled for a 1972 Cadillac DeVille and got going with her art car creation. She has painted flowers on the side, appropriate goth bumper stickers all over the trunk, rope arrangement across the hood, and spray painted lace pattern the roof with a chain fence. If you look closely syren has fangs in her grill, so  make sure not stand to close.

I also found a great picture of her at Maker Faire a few years back wearing a skirt she made from bike inner tubes, rolled up in the shape of a skirt and sown together to complete her goth outfit:) Sorry it took so long to put you up on ACC, but here you are, finally:) 

Syren Art Car at Art Car Fest - Photo by Bagel

Christa Ansbergs at Maker Faire

Carthedral - Gothic Art Car with gargoyles and teeth molds

Carthedral is a 1971 Cadillac hearse modified with 1959 Cadillac tail fins. Welded on top is a VW beetle and metal armatures with fiber glass. Carthedral is a rolling Gothic Cathedral complete with flying buttresses, stained glass pointed windows, and gargoyles. It was created and designed by Rebecca Caldwell.

Carthedral - Gothic Art Car - via kris247

Carthedral - Gothic Art Car - via whizchickenonabun

Carthedral - Gothic Art Car

Carthedral - Gothic Art Car and a young Mercedes Pens

This an amazing art car which I had the pleasure and honor of seeing on my very first Art Car Fest in 05 with my new Mercedes Pens Art Car with very few pens.