Spooky season is a year-round state of mind for Beverly Houpt. The Halloween queen loves dressing up with her three kids in family costumes with themes like Super Mario, Marvel and The Nightmare Before Christmas characters. “I have too much Halloween décor, but it’s a lot of fun for me,” she says. “And then it just kind of seeped into my art.” Through her Brilliant Bones Studio label, Houpt crafts original paintings and upcycled art from thrifted objects she paints, often using “fun neon colors, because fall colors don’t really go with Phoenix [because] we’re in the desert,” she says. She wanted “something for Halloween that looks more appropriate for the landscape.” Houpt also incorporates the Día de Los Muertos aesthetic into her work, despite not growing up celebrating it with her Mexican mother. “Through my art, I’ve been able to explore more of my heritage,” she says. Currently, she sells through Instagram, local markets or commissions, with pricing for pieces ranging from $40 to $200. @brilliantbonesstudio
