Blissfulviolet: Greetings Topley how are you and things in
Canada?
Canada?
Topley: Canada is very nice…the extreme music could be
stronger, black metal anyway.
stronger, black metal anyway.
Blissfulviolet: Introduce yourself to our readers and tell
us about the type of art that you create and what has
inspired it.
us about the type of art that you create and what has
inspired it.
Topley: I am Topley. I am 42 yrs old and have played in
bands for 20 yrs now. I am a photo artist and I have always
been a metal head since the days of Venom and the album,
“Black Metal.” I am still jamming now and doing Blackempire.
I play bass and do vox, no recordings yet but I am a very
bizzy dude. I am currently working on a stop frame animation
film featuring my dolls and me. Blackempire will provide the
music.
bands for 20 yrs now. I am a photo artist and I have always
been a metal head since the days of Venom and the album,
“Black Metal.” I am still jamming now and doing Blackempire.
I play bass and do vox, no recordings yet but I am a very
bizzy dude. I am currently working on a stop frame animation
film featuring my dolls and me. Blackempire will provide the
music.
What inspired my work? Well I’m a metal enthusiast and
always have been, so I play for the devils team. My dolls started as props for my model girls
and developed into a collection. I posted my stuff online and people liked and commented on
it. The wire nail jewelry I made for bands to buy for stage gear and the rest is full time
photography. I have my first black wedding in Oct…
and developed into a collection. I posted my stuff online and people liked and commented on
it. The wire nail jewelry I made for bands to buy for stage gear and the rest is full time
photography. I have my first black wedding in Oct…
Blissfulviolet: Sounds interesting. Tell me more about the dolls and Candy. Also about how
much time do you put into making one?
much time do you put into making one?
Topley: No the name is Candy. It would be a cool idea if they were candy made lol. Dolls
would creep me out when I was a kid, never liked em…One day I found one and changed it. It
evolved and got detailed with wire stitching, then I called it “lifeless” and my friends all liked
it…That’s where I started. My dolls are one of my creations they very in manufacture time but
when done I’d say three weeks. Lots of hidden details are in them and that’s where the
photography comes in. I am using them in an animation film small movie and my fingertips get
the hell poked out of em, scratches. They are a labor of love.
would creep me out when I was a kid, never liked em…One day I found one and changed it. It
evolved and got detailed with wire stitching, then I called it “lifeless” and my friends all liked
it…That’s where I started. My dolls are one of my creations they very in manufacture time but
when done I’d say three weeks. Lots of hidden details are in them and that’s where the
photography comes in. I am using them in an animation film small movie and my fingertips get
the hell poked out of em, scratches. They are a labor of love.
Blissfulviolet: Where would you like to see these creations
headed?
headed?
Topley: I hope that maybe I can get work making shit for
movies or building props. I enjoy putting endless work on
something to make it absolutely unique and I only use old
school techniques, I am learning Photoshop for future projects.
movies or building props. I enjoy putting endless work on
something to make it absolutely unique and I only use old
school techniques, I am learning Photoshop for future projects.
Blissfulviolet: So how long have you been creating these
dolls and how many have you created up to date?
dolls and how many have you created up to date?
Topley: I have now made seven dolls all together; two have
sold so I now have 5. I have a hard time selling my dolls
because they are like family and have grown on me. I started
making them after a close drug od. I quit doing drugs and
took up my artwork fulltime…So it’s been about a year for the
sold so I now have 5. I have a hard time selling my dolls
because they are like family and have grown on me. I started
making them after a close drug od. I quit doing drugs and
took up my artwork fulltime…So it’s been about a year for the
dolls. I got a free myspace account and I have been making these for my friend’s wonderful
support and comments. All my work is for the dark crowd, physical artists are becoming rare
these days so I get good responses from viewers. This feeds me to create more things…my
animation film will be the big attraction, though I love things that take a long time to make or
highly detailed, it features all my dolls.
support and comments. All my work is for the dark crowd, physical artists are becoming rare
these days so I get good responses from viewers. This feeds me to create more things…my
animation film will be the big attraction, though I love things that take a long time to make or
highly detailed, it features all my dolls.
Blissfulviolet: Can you tells a about the storyline and what type of film this will be?
Topley: Wee…The film is about me the Doll maker. I manufacture the dolls and they become
living. I live in a strange workshop…very dark, violent and bloody there will be models in it too
that I paint and have as victims to the dollz. The girls eventually become dollz themselves,
they become my work.
living. I live in a strange workshop…very dark, violent and bloody there will be models in it too
that I paint and have as victims to the dollz. The girls eventually become dollz themselves,
they become my work.
This is going to be a music video film, so I will make the
video and record all the music with members of my old
band. I am significantly older than the myspace
crowd…the band is only going to be studio project. I will
make a story line of madness progression and chapters will
be added as I write them. Like an evil opera…I hope to
attract bands that need videos. The extreme music needs
good strange and dark videos and people to make them. I
will just release my stuff for free to anyone who wants to
see them or on you tube and see what happens. I’m sure
my imagination will get me some kind of attention. And
people like your project, Beyond the Dark Horizon help
very much and I do appreciate your interest.
video and record all the music with members of my old
band. I am significantly older than the myspace
crowd…the band is only going to be studio project. I will
make a story line of madness progression and chapters will
be added as I write them. Like an evil opera…I hope to
attract bands that need videos. The extreme music needs
good strange and dark videos and people to make them. I
will just release my stuff for free to anyone who wants to
see them or on you tube and see what happens. I’m sure
my imagination will get me some kind of attention. And
people like your project, Beyond the Dark Horizon help
very much and I do appreciate your interest.
Blissfulviolet: Why thank you. And yes you are correct;
the extreme scene needs a more visual interpretation to
their world of music and artist such as yourself are perfect
the extreme scene needs a more visual interpretation to
their world of music and artist such as yourself are perfect
Topley: It’s been my pleasure. There will be much, much more to come. BTDH efforts to
keep the METAL flame alive and well, good job. Soon BLACKEMPIRE the band will reign the
black masses…sixhundredsixtysix hails to beyond the dark horizon.
keep the METAL flame alive and well, good job. Soon BLACKEMPIRE the band will reign the
black masses…sixhundredsixtysix hails to beyond the dark horizon.
to depict such imagery. Thanks for sharing your art and thoughts with Beyond the Dark
Horizon, got any final comments you wish to tell our readers?
Horizon, got any final comments you wish to tell our readers?
Topley is a physical artist that resides in Canada. He creates evil looking
grotesque dolls, and jewelry made out of wire and nails. Aside from this he
is also a professional photographer and musician. Something wicked this
way comes…I give you, Black Empire Art.
grotesque dolls, and jewelry made out of wire and nails. Aside from this he
is also a professional photographer and musician. Something wicked this
way comes…I give you, Black Empire Art.
