This week, as we explore the playfully macabre side of Halloween, Mike Bell’s work offers that thrill once linked to planning the perfect costume, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and binge-watching scary movies.
And just as this season wouldn’t be complete without its tribute to Frankenstein, Bell’s career is closely linked to the legendary monster created by Mary Shelley.
“It was the first piece of artwork I created as a child,” he said during a recent interview.
Frankenstein’s monster was also the first piece the former advertising executive created when he began producing, marketing, and selling his own artwork. That was over 17 years ago, and the nearly life-sized piece remains unsold by choice.
Bell’s Frankenstein-inspired artwork showcases a distinctive “tattoo” and “lowbrow” style, often paired with the “Bride of Frankenstein.” His most celebrated pieces include ‘Flirtationship’ and ‘Undying Love,’ both of which delve into themes of gothic romance.
Bell, known as Belldog, creates art that explores a variety of themes and media. His work has been shown in galleries across the country and bought by collectors worldwide.
“I always try to capture the tension between humor, reflection, and nostalgia,” the Atlantic City native said. “I do work a lot with familiar pop cultural icons and try to place them in unexpected, dreamlike, or ironic situations. I’m trying to get the viewer to smile and to think. I want to make it personal, for them to have a personal reflection.”
To do so, he relies on visual storytelling to craft a narrative and a scene, he said. What emerges is a unique reimagining of iconic figures in unexpected ways, steeped in humor, whimsy, and a touch of the bizarre.
“Humor’s a big part of how I approach my work,” he said. “I love it when I have art shows and I see people smiling at the paintings.
Bell said his work draws inspiration from everything, from classic monster movies to vintage toys, to sci-fi and MAD magazine’s playful irreverence. Growing up near Atlantic City, he developed a love for bright colors and carnival imagery, which is evident in his paintings and matchbook art.
“A big way to describe my work and the genre that I’m in is ‘Lowbrow,” he said. “Lowbrow art is the California monster, hot rod, pin-up, and tattoo ink. It’s all about pop culture, thrown into cool situations with beautiful women, and it’s kind of the punk rock of art; art doesn’t have to be so serious.”
Today, Bell is celebrated for his vibrant canvases that depict classic monsters and movie icons in modern, unexpected scenarios. He has earned praise for his detailed black-and-white pencil portraits on matchbooks, often using used matches for a 3D effect. Bell’s matchbook art has been displayed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museums.
For more on Mike ‘Belldog’ Bell, visit belldogstudio.com or @mikebelldog via Instagram.
Michelle Gladden is a freelance journalist and editor with over 25 years of professional experience. She was the founding executive director of a local arts support nonprofit and has served on various community boards and organizations.
