Sandy DeLuca

 

About the artist/author:

Sandy DeLuca is an American writer and visual artist, born in Providence, Rhode Island. Her paintings are lyrical, colorful and spiritual; moving from the abstract to Pop Surrealism. As an author, she is known for dark and surreal prose; often visceral and shocking. She is best known for her work in the horror genre. However, she has written Noir fiction, fantasy and mainstream fiction as well.

She was educated in the Warwick, RI school system. She studied business at Johnson and Wales University, and then went on to work in banking. While working full time, she returned to college to study Fine Arts at the Community College of RI. She initially concentrated on Commercial Art, focusing on possibly earning a living in that field. However, when she began to study painting and art history, she fell in love with the German Expressionists. Those studies inspired her to paint in that bold, dark and expressive style. Always a fan of the horror genre, her work was, and is, influenced by it as well. She earned her AFA, and then continued to study with her painting mentor, Bob Judge, until his retirement in the ’90’s. Today, she relies on her early influences from the commercial art world, Expressionism and horror to create both her visual and written art.

She sold her first work of art in a friend’s beauty salon in 1979, where a collection of her drawings, created with ink, pencil and markers hung in the shop. 

She is a professional photographer, spending almost a decade freelancing for a string of pro-wrestling magazines–1986–1996. She interviewed stars such as Greg “the hammer” Valentine, Owen Hart, Jimmy Snuka and other stars of the squared circle. She spent time promoting–in magazines such as Wrestling Wave–independent female grapplers as well, forming a friendship with New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Famer, Sandy Starr (inducted 2008), who she traveled with to shows throughout the North East. Deluca also befriended Killer Kowalski, who trained many of the female stars in that era. Rosebud, Brittney Spears, Jamie West and Brandy Alexander were among the ladies she had the honor of working with in those days. With Matt Deluca, she published and wrote a zine called BLACK KNIGHT WRESTLING, which featured news, interviews, articles, photographs and artwork (her own) pertaining to wrestling. It goes without say that, she has a vast collection of photographs taken in independent venues across North East, Memphis, Washington, DC, and Western Pennsylvania.  Around 1994, she focused on working primarily in the New England circuits. She left around 1995, however, her work continued to appear in specific magazines for several more years.

Later, she penned several chants published in Silver Ravenwolf’s book TO STIR A MAGICK CAULDRON (pen name Autumn Raindancer)–1994. She wrote articles for Silver Ravenwolf’s Pagan newsletter during that period as well.

Around 1997 her poetry, art and stories began to see publication in small press zines such as The Edge Tales of Suspense, The Catbird Seat, Edgar and many others. She also edited and owned a small press magazine entitled GODDESS OF THE BAY from 1998 through 2001, also producing anthologies and collections. In 2003, she operated another publishing company, DECEMBER GIRL, an imprint of DELIRIUM BOOKS. Once again in 2015 she founded MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA, focusing on art and cultural books and journals; publishing Marge Simon’s SMALL SPIRITS, DARK DOLLS (accompanied by Sandy’s art) and she partnered with Bob Judge with FRAGMENTS. 

Although she created visual journals, containing offbeat drawings, since childhood, she began painting in 1985, and had her first solo art show in 1986 at the Community College of Rhode Island, while still a student. Each painting was accompanied by prose written on a card; pieces of the story she told with her paintings. Since then, her paintings have been exhibited widely. In addition, her artwork has been featured as cover art and interior art for various publications, most notably the poetry chapbook, VAMPIRES, ZOMBIES AND WANTON SOULS, with poetry by Marge Simon; with Simon receiving the Bram Stoker award for poetry in 2013. Her own poetry book, BURIAL PLOT IN SAGITTARIUS, also contains her cover art and interior art, and it was nominated for the Bram Stoker for Poetry award in 2000. A copy of this book is maintained at the Brown University library. The poetry collaboration, DANGEROUS DREAMS, with Marge Simon, was nominated for the Bram Stoker award for 2013.

POETRY AND COLLECTIONS

BURIAL PLOT IN SAGITTARIUS (POETRY), 2000, THIEVIN’ KITTY PUBLICATIONS (NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER FOR POETRY AWARD AND THE RHYSLING AWARD). This book was accompanied by her cover art and interior illustrations. A copy is maintained in the Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays (Brown University) Poetry, 1976-2000. 

PATHS OF DESTINY (SELECTED POETRY AND SHORT STORIES), 2001, DOUBLE DRAGON BOOKS

DANGEROUS DREAMS, WITH MARGE SIMON (POETRY), 2013, ELECTRIK MILKBATH PRESS (NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER FOR POETRY AWARD AND THE ELGIN AWARD)

HUNTER’S MOON, SELECTED SHORT STORIES, 2015, MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA

FRAGMENTS, SELECTED SHORT STORIES AND POETRY, WITH BOB JUDGE (ART), 2015, MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA

 

NOVELS

SETTLING IN NAZARETH, 2003, DECEMBER GIRL PRESS, 2017 CROSSROAD PRESS

DESCENT, 2005, DELIRIUM BOOKS, 2010 uninvited books

MANHATTAN GRIMOIRE, 2007, DELIRIUM BOOKS, 2017 CROSSROAD PRESS

FROM ASHES, 2008, DELIRIUM BOOKS, 2017, CROSSROAD PRESS

SWITCHBLADE, 2018, CROSSROAD PRESS

MIDNIGHT TOWN, 2018, CROSSROAD PRESS

 

NOVELLAS

DARKNESS CONJURED, 2010, Delirium Books, 2017 Crossroad Press

REIGN OF BLOOD, 2011, Delirium Books, 2017 Crossroad Press

INTO THE RED, 2011, Damnation Books

MESSAGES FROM THE DEAD, 2013, DarkFuse, 2017 Crossroad Press

HELL’S DOOR, 2013, DarkFuse, 2017 Crossroad Press

CITY AT THE EDGE OF THE EARTH, 2016, Midnight Town Media, 2018 Crossroad Press

LUPO MANNARO, 2016, with her illustrations, Night to Dawn Books

Novelette: Journey to Talazia, with her illustrations, Alban Lake, 2017

*From 1987 through the present her short stories, poetry, articles, photographs, opinions and art have appeared in various books, magazines, print and online publications. 

 

ART BOOKS

PAINTING THE THIRD FATE, 2005, SAM’S DOT PUBLISHING

THE MAD HATTERY (WITH MARGE SIMON’S POETRY), 2012, ELECTRIK MILKBATH PRESS

VAMPIRES, ZOMBIES & WANTON SOULS (WITH MARGE SIMON’S POETRY), 2012, ELECTRIK MILKBATH PRESS

Gardens of the Fey, (with marge simon’s Poetry), 2013, Wolfsinger Publications

APPARITIONS: THIRTY YEARS OF STRANGE ART, 2015, MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA

ETHEREAL BEINGS, 2015, MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA

NAUGHTY LADIES (WITH MARGE SIMON’S POETRY), 2015, ELDRITCH PRESS

CHILDHOOD, 2015, MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA

TALES OF AN EARTHBOUND TRAVELER, 2015, MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA

SMALL SPIRITS, 2016, (WITH MARGE SIMON’S POETRY), 2016, MIDNIGHT TOWN MEDIA

COME DREAM WITH ME, 2018, ALBAN LAKE PUBLISHING

 

Notable anthologies which included her short stories are:

Divas of Darkness–Thievin Kitty–2001

IN DELIRIUM II–2007

PIERCING THE DARKNESS (NECRO PUBLICATIONS)–2013

SCARY TALES FOR HALLOWEEN (DOUBLE DRAGON PUBLISHING)–2003

SLICES OF FLESH (DARK MOON BOOKS) –2010

EROTIKOS (DARKFUSE)–2017

 

EDITORIAL/PUBLISHING PROJECTS:

Goddess of the Bay Publications, where she produced and edited a monthly zine of poetry, art and short stories. In addition, specialty projects such as A Midsummer’s Night Terror, Something Wicked (experimental fiction collections) were produced under this banner.

December Girl Press (an imprint of Delirium Books): She produced and edited a collection of ‘Noir fiction called Crime Spree and a rare collectible novel Saying Uncle, by Greg F. Gifune. (1999 through 2003).

*Also see:

Resource lists that have documented some of my work.

Reviews, interviews & blurbs about my work.

 

VISUAL BODIES OF WORK:

Figures and Fantasies 1986—ongoing. Expressionistic figurative work, Shapeshifting–fantasy paintings of felines, strange lands and the female figure.

The Genre 1995-ongoing. Paintings inspired by genre writings and imagined images related to my own writings.

Abstract Experiments in the City 2002-2006

New York inspired art 2007-2008

Digital Experiments 2016–ongoing project.

 Sports Photography 1986-1996

 Feline Photography 1995-present

 

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:

Community College of Rhode Island, Solo show at Warwick and Lincoln campuses; 1986. Two paintings were on loan for exhibit in President’s reception area Community College of RI, 1987. Various group shows Warwick Community College Campus, 1984-1997; while earning my AFA in the 1980’s, and then later studying art seminars in the 1990’s. 

Border Books, Cranston and Providence, Rhode Island (2003) 

Winky Dink Ink Gallery and Tattoo Parlor, (New York) 2010

Various shows, New Hope Gallery (Cranston, RI) 2011-present

Various shows, Hughes/Donahue Gallery (Taunton, MA), 2011-2013

Anything Goes Gallery (Warwick, RI), October 2011-2012

Right Studios, Woonsocket, RI, December 7th, 2011

Jerry’s Artarama (Providence, RI), 2012, Various shows

Gallery Q Summer, Juried, (Providence, RI) June 1, 2012

 Ugly Dog Gallery (Attleboro, MA), August 2012

Bank RI, Providence, RI, solo exhibit–TALES OF AN EARTHBOUND TRAVELER–December/January 2012-2013

Article from my Bank RI solo art show.

University of Rhode Island, Feinstein Campus, Group show, ART IN HEALING November 2014

Eunoia Gallery–The Unframed Works on Paper Show–November 2018

*There are more, including mail art exhibits in France, Italy, Malaysia, Spain and other countries. Her art resides in European collections, American, Japanese and Australian. She has exhibited in hair salons, tattoo parlors and bookstores. There’s still work left to be documented, but she is a horrid record keeper and it doesn’t matter as long as it’s out there…somewhere…in this world…as long she is still creating…

*Her paintings are available for sale, and queries are always welcome. In addition, prints of both her digital work and paintings are available at venues like Redbubble, Deviant Art and Society6. Of course, she also sells her art on Ebay. She enjoys working in the publishing world and likes to pair her visual art with her writing. She also enjoys making cover art for genre magazines and books, and doing illustrations, and that remains an ongoing project. Night to Dawn Magazines and Books and Alban Lake Publishing are among the venues where a bulk of her illustrations and cover art appear. Crossroad Press/Macabre Ink currently publishes her horror novels.

Awards:

Awarded the Gothic Readers Book Club Choice Award, 2011.

Nominated for the Bram Stoker for poetry for 1999 and again in 2013. Nominated for the Rhysling award for 1999.

 

 

*It’s not possible to list everything, as I was published by numerous zines back in the day.  Please see my Lists link where I’ve located documentation of a lot of my work from back in the day. Lots missing, but overall they’ve noted a chunk of it.

*This is one of the offbeat and interesting art publishing credits I earned back in the ’90’s. One of my pen and ink drawings appeared on the back cover of the Klingon Journal of Language. In those days, there were no digital files and email wasn’t used widely. So, the original piece was sent to the journal via snail mail.

*This is a “notebook” of past, present and ongoing projects and experiences. I try to add new books, exhibits and events as they occur. In addition, I am going through files in order to document some of my obscure works of poetry and fiction. For a long time, I thought that the different stages of my creativity (specifically in the late ’80’s and early ’90’s) were not connected–did not bring me to the place where I am now. However, as I grow older, I see that they are. Just trying to preserve a record of it all…thanks for looking.

*Notations from me.

Selected photos from my travels.