This episode of Horror Heals brings us into the eerie, miniature worlds of artist and military veteran, Eerie Earl. Hosted by Corey and Kendall Stulce, this episode highlights Earl’s creative journey from military service to becoming a full-time artist, focusing on the therapeutic effects of crafting quiet, creepy art.
For Earl, art didn’t always come easy. During his military career, creativity had to take a back seat. But once he retired, his wife encouraged him to find a hobby, and it was then that his love for miniatures, horror, and eerie aesthetics took flight. In this episode, Eerie Earl talks about how art became more than just a hobby—it became a lifeline for processing trauma and finding peace.
Art as a Form of Therapy
Earl shares how his military background influenced his artistic vision, especially his fascination with abandoned, eerie spaces. But it’s not just about aesthetics for Eerie Earl; it’s about what these scenes represent. Each piece, whether it’s a weathered pram left alone or a forgotten doll, evokes a story. Earl doesn’t go for the overtly creepy or gory, but instead focuses on subtle eeriness—the kind of imagery that lets your imagination fill in the blanks. This “quiet creepy” style, as Earl calls it, has been his way of exploring his own emotions and traumas in a manageable, creative form.
The Healing Power of Community
Beyond his personal journey, Eerie Earl is part of a larger community of veteran artists. He serves on the board of Artists in Arms, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans through art. This group has given Earl a space to connect with others who understand both the weight of military service and the relief that comes with artistic expression. As Earl says, “Art is anything you create,” and through his work, he’s found camaraderie and healing.
Eerie Earl and Creating Together as a Family
One of the most heartwarming aspects of the episode is when Eerie Earl talks about his studio setup, which he shares with his wife. Together, they create in the same space, each with their own style and medium, but always encouraging each other. It’s a practice that Earl hopes his three sons will take with them—whether it’s in art, cooking, or any other passion they pursue. Earl’s dedication to creating and sharing his work demonstrates the power of artistic collaboration within a family and beyond.
Why Horror Art Heals
As the episode comes to a close, Eerie Earl reflects on the impact of horror in his life and the lives of others. Horror, as Earl and the hosts agree, has a unique way of helping people process fear, trauma, and anxiety. It allows us to confront the uncomfortable in a safe, creative space. And in Earl’s case, crafting his eerie miniatures has become his own form of emotional healing.
From the battlefield to the art studio, Eerie Earl has found a way to channel his past experiences into something beautiful and thought-provoking. This episode of Horror Heals serves as a reminder that we all have creative outlets to explore, and that art—in any form—can provide the therapeutic release we need.
Jill: Okay, so, miniature horror scenes, right? As therapy for veterans, who would have thought? It’s actually surprisingly heartwarming, and that’s exactly what we’re diving into today.
Jack: Yeah, heartwarming horror. Kind of strange, but I like it. And this is from an episode of the Horror Heals podcast.
Jill: Exactly. We’re talking about this veteran named, get this, Eerie Earl.
Jill: And he works with, well, the stuff of nightmares. But like, Really tiny in detail. So,
Jack: not your average art therapy session then?
Jill: Nope, not at all. And that’s why this deep dive is so interesting. The hosts of Horror Heels, Corey and Kendall Stultz, they actually talked to Eerie Earl about how he got into this really unique form of expression.
Jill: Turns out, art’s in his blood, you know? His grandfather was an oil painter, his mom was super creative.
Jack: So it’s like a, what do they call it, a latent talent just waiting for the right moment to emerge?
Jill: Yeah, exactly. And for Eerie Earl, that moment came when he was transitioning out of the military. His wife, she saw he needed a positive outlet, something to focus on, and, well, she encouraged him to reconnect with that creative side.
Jack: It’s amazing how often a supportive partner can make all the difference, right? Especially for veterans dealing with, you know, all the challenges of adjusting to civilian life.
Jill: Absolutely. She really saw his potential, even when he might not have seen it in himself. And get this, he didn’t just go for the typical, you know, watercolors and landscapes.
Jill: No, Eerie Earl was drawn to The creepy stuff,
Jack: like
Jill: the eerie, the abandoned, the things that most people try to avoid.
Jack: He leans into the darkness. I like it.
Jill: Yeah, but there’s beauty in it, you know? It’s not just about being scary. He actually describes his aesthetic as eclectic, not weird, which I kind of love.
Jack: It takes a certain personality.
Jack: To really embrace those darker, unsettling aesthetics, wouldn’t you say? Challenging our perceptions of what we typically find appealing in art.
Jill: Yeah, totally. It’s like he’s saying, Hey, there’s beauty in the shadows, too. Do you think his military background influenced that?
Jack: It’s definitely possible. I mean, even though Eerie Earl doesn’t specifically recreate his military experiences in his art, he talks about how, you know, traveling the world and seeing things most people wouldn’t have, it’s It’s left its mark on him.
Jack: It seeps into his creative process, you know? Even if it’s not intentional.
Jill: That makes sense. It’s like how musicians pour their emotions into their music, even if the lyrics aren’t directly about their life.
Jack: Exactly. It becomes part of their artistic DNA. And this reminds me of other artists, too, like Tom Savini, you know, the special effects guru.
Jill: Oh, yeah. He did all those, uh, Amazing and gruesome effects for horror movies. Right.
Jack: So, Savini, before all that, he was a combat photographer in Vietnam. And it just goes to show how those intense, sometimes traumatic, experiences can really fuel artistic expression, especially in a genre like horror.
Jill: Wow, I had no idea about Savini’s background.
Jill: See, this is why we do these deep dives. Mm
Jack: hmm.
Jill: Okay, so back to Eerie Earl. His approach to horror is fascinating. He calls it quiet creepy, which is such a perfectly descriptive phrase. What do you think he means by that?
Jack: It’s brilliant. Right? Quite creepy. It speaks to that subtler side of horror. Like, it’s not about in your face gore.
Jack: It’s more about atmosphere, suggestion, the dread that lingers.
Jill: Oh, I totally get that. It’s like the difference between someone jumping out and yelling, Boo! And that feeling when you’re home alone. And you could swear you heard something creak in the other room.
Jack: Yes. Exactly. It gets under your skin. And Earl manages to create this feeling in miniature, which just adds a whole other level of complexity.
Jill: It’s true. Shrinking something down forces you to pay attention to the detail in a different way. I remember he even said people engage with his art differently because of its scale. Like they have to lean in, their eyes scanning every tiny detail.
Jack: It’s like he invites the viewer to become a co creator of the story.
Jack: He described one piece, an abandoned baby carriage with this worn teddy bear, its ear was torn, and it’s just left against this weathered brick wall, half hidden by leaves and grime. Nothing overtly gruesome.
Jill: But still so unsettling.
Jack: Exactly. And it makes you wonder, what happened here? Who was this child?
Jack: Why were they left behind? Everyone brings their own interpretation to it, their own fears.
Jill: Right. It’s like a mirror to our subconscious.
Jack: Exactly. And that’s the power of art like this, especially when it embraces the uncanny and unsettling. It lets us confront those darker emotions.
Jill: For sure. And speaking of powerful connections, one of the things I loved learning about Eerie Earl is how he shares his passion for art with his wife.
Jill: It sounds like they have a really special bond.
Jack: Yeah, a bond strengthened by their shared love of creativity.
Jill: They even made a shared studio in their house. So they could work side by side.
Jack: That’s dedication. What a dream.
Jill: Right. And his wife, she mostly works with watercolors, textiles, things like that. Very different from Earl’s art, but he was talking about how supportive she is of his work.
Jack: I love that. It’s more than just having a hobby. It’s about Mutual support and understanding, you know, finding inspiration in each other.
Jill: It’s like having your own personal cheerleader in your corner. Someone who gets your creative struggles. And get this, they’ve even started showing their art together at local markets.
Jack: Wow, that’s brave. It takes guts to put yourself out there like that.
Jill: It really does. And for Eerie Earl, getting that validation from other people, seeing his art resonate with them, it’s been a huge part of his journey. He talked about how amazing it feels when someone connects with his work emotionally. It’s like this unspoken understanding of, you get it, you see what I see.
Jack: That feeling of, I’m not alone.
Jill: Yeah.
Jack: Which can be so powerful for veterans.
Jill: Yeah. You know. It makes you think of finding your people. Your tribe. And for Earl, that sense of belonging goes way beyond art markets. This is where his story takes an even more inspiring turn, with this non profit called Artists in Arms.
Jill: Artists in Arms, it’s not just a cool name, is it? This is about veterans finding support, especially those who are, you know, struggling after their service. And art can be a powerful tool for that.
Jack: It really can be. It’s like bridging that gap between military life and civilian life, finding a way to process and express those experiences.
Jack: And for Eerie Earl, it sounds like that journey started with his wife. Yeah.
Jill: She was his first champion, wasn’t she? He talked about how she was the first one to really see how much art was helping him, like it was therapeutic for him.
Jack: It’s amazing how often that happens, right? We think of therapy as this formal thing, but sometimes the most healing happens in those everyday moments.
Jack: with the people who know us best.
Jill: That’s so true. Just that encouragement, that space to be vulnerable and explore those darker emotions, it can make all the difference. And for Eerie Earl, that support from his wife, it’s like it gave him permission to turn those experiences into something positive, something beautiful, even.
Jill: It’s
Jack: like his wife gave him the key, and Artists in Arms opened the door to a whole community that gets it, you know?
Jill: Right. They’re not just painting happy little trees, are they?
Jack: Not at all. He described it as A space for camaraderie, for processing trauma. I mean, think about it, for a lot of veterans, leaving the military means leaving behind that sense of belonging, that shared understanding.
Jill: And Artists in Arms gives them that back.
Jack: Exactly. It’s like reclaiming that sense of purpose, of identity. You’re not just a veteran, you’re not just an artist, you’re an artist in arms. You’re part of something bigger than yourself.
Jill: And that connection, that shared experience, it’s so powerful. Speaking of powerful experiences, I love that toward the end of the episode, the hosts asked Eerie Earl about his favorite final person in a horror movie.
Jill: You know, that character who manages to survive against all odds.
Jack: Oh, that’s a fun question. It’s like a sneaky way to get into someone’s head a little, see what really resonates with them. So who’d he pick?
Jill: Okay, so get this. He says his all time favorite final person is Ben from the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead.
Jack: Interesting. The remake, not the original. I’m listening.
Jill: Right. And I think this is where his answer gets really interesting. For those who haven’t seen it, in the original Night of the Living Dead, Ben, who’s a black man, he’s like the hero of the movie, but
Jack: he doesn’t make it. Right, and it’s a tough watch.
Jack: Even now, it reflects the racial prejudices of the time, and a lot of people, myself included, see Ben’s fate as a reflection of that.
Jill: Exactly. And Eerie Earl said the ending of the original really bothered him. It just felt wrong. Right. You know, like a product of its time. He even talked about having these conversations with his dad about it after watching it together.
Jack: Which, you know, that’s what art can do. It can spark those difficult but important conversations.
Jill: Absolutely. And then fast forward to the remake and Ben, spoiler alert, he survives. Earl even said it felt like they got it right this time. Like seeing Ben survive gave him a sense of relief.
Jack: Which says a lot about how much he connected with that character, you know, and how much representation matters, especially in a genre like horror.
Jill: It’s true. Representation can be so powerful. It’s like, seeing Ben make it out alive, it’s not just about one character. It’s about hope. Hope for progress, for change.
Jack: Yeah, and it’s like, even in this genre, zombies, gore, all that, there’s still room for those deeper messages, you know? Social commentary, challenging our assumptions.
Jill: Exactly. It reminds us, horror is a product of its time, just like any art form. It reflects our anxieties, our prejudices, and But also our capacity for growth.
Jack: And our own experiences shape how we see things, too. Like, a movie watched at one point in your life could hit totally different later on. For sure.
Jack: And I think that’s what’s so fascinating about Earl’s take on those two Night of the Living Dead films. But it all circles back, doesn’t it? To his own art, his miniatures, that quiet, creepy vibe. There’s depth there.
Jill: It’s more than just aesthetics. He’s tapping into something universal. Something about the human experience just through a different lens.
Jack: It’s true. He’s exploring those shadowy parts of ourselves.
Jill: Yeah.
Jack: You know, the places where fear and beauty kind of get tangled up. And the fact he’s doing it alongside his wife. Yeah. Sharing it with other veterans through Artists in Arms. It
Jill: speaks to the power of art to heal, to connect.
Jack: And to inspire.
Jack: Don’t forget, inspire.
Jill: This guy, Uri Earl, he’s created this incredible tapestry, right? It’s got his love of horror, his military background, his art, all woven together. He’s found his voice, his people, his purpose, and he’s encouraging others to do the same.
Jack: It’s a good reminder that healing can come from the most unexpected places.
Jack: Even in the darkest corners, there’s light to be found.
Jill: It really makes you think, what other unconventional art forms are out there? What hidden gems are just waiting to be discovered? So if you’re feeling inspired, even a little bit, don’t be afraid to explore those shadowy parts of your own creativity.
Jill: You never know what you might create. Until next time, keep those imaginations curious, and remember, sometimes the most unsettling paths lead to the most beautiful destinations.
