Community & creative work

Pumpkin Art

A family Halloween tradition grew into a collection of backlit portraits for the neighbourhood.

Christopher Finkle

24 Jul 2022 • 2 min read

“Carving pumpkins from an early age is a childhood memory we all share.”

Having children gave us the chance to relive those memorable moments: celebrating Halloween by carving pumpkins for the front step, teaching our children to do the same, and enjoying a family tradition that creates lasting memories.

Fast forward, and I now find pleasure in celebrating people by capturing their likenesses in backlit pumpkins. The neighbourhood children and parents who come by on Halloween enjoy them too. Year after year, people come up the drive to see the carvings, take pictures, and talk about how they were made.

Illuminated pumpkin carved with a stern face wearing rectangular glasses. — Pumpkin portrait — glasses

Illuminated pumpkin carved with a smiling, short-haired face. — Pumpkin portrait — smiling face

I’ll let you in on a little secret: no carving has taken more than half an hour of my time. The final result is revealed only when a light goes inside. Until the shadows deepen and the light areas are illuminated, the character can be difficult to recognize.

Pumpkin carving of a face with round glasses, illuminated from within. — Pumpkin portrait — round glasses

Illuminated pumpkin carving depicting a long-haired guitarist. — Guitarist pumpkin carving

Today I’m sharing a collection of past carvings. Please enjoy, and remember: art is what you make it. Art makes you feel good. Art is good soul food. Art is for everyone.

More pumpkin carvings

Illuminated pumpkin carved with a curly-haired face. — Pumpkin portrait — curly hair

Illuminated pumpkin carved with a row of four stylized faces. — Four faces pumpkin carving

Illuminated pumpkin carved with a bespectacled face and short beard. — Pumpkin portrait — glasses and beard

Pumpkin carved with a closely cropped or bald head and deeply shadowed features. — Pumpkin portrait — strong shadows

Illuminated pumpkin carved with a smiling face and rounded curly hair. — Pumpkin portrait — rounded hair

Illuminated pumpkin carving depicting a long-haired wrestler with an open mouth. — The Hulkster

Illuminated pumpkin carving depicting a long-haired face wearing dark sunglasses. — Ozzy

Christopher Finkle

One carving became part of a community fundraiser. Watch Elvira come to life in BooBash 2022.

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More pumpkin carvings

Art, with a story to tell.