Martha's Transformations

I've often wondered where and when Halloween first made an impression on Martha, and why she now considers it to be her favourite holiday. Was it at her family's home in Nutley, New Jersey, where her father would often dictate to his children what costumes they would wear on All Hallow's Eve, or was it later in life, when she discovered the bliss of escapism and disguise in a complex and complicated life?

In one of her magazine letters, she writes: "I cannot remember one single year that I personally did not celebrate Halloween. Usually, nowadays, I get dressed up in a costume, apply a bit of special-effects make-up, blast spooky sound effects around my decorated front door, turn off all the lights in the house and greet trick-or-treaters with an array of candies and sweetmeats. As a child, I was a serious trick-or-treater myself, and I loved it when a neighbour went to the trouble to spook or scare or celebrate, expending even just a little bit of effort on behalf of the neighbourhood kids to let us all know that Halloween was indeed a viable and important holiday, when fun and games and tongue-in-cheek behaviour were accepted and expected."

Perhaps it's as simple as the idea of throwing a really grand party that appeals to Martha, and the ability to entertain in the most whimsical and magical ways with abandon. Whatever the case, Martha adores this day. Below are some photos of Martha in various costumes to get us adults inspired for the most nightmarish of nights! Happy Halloween everyone!

Martha as the Black Widow, inspired by the Queen of the Spiders from the book by Italian make-up artist Stefano Anselmo called Il Trucco e la Maschera. Martha graced the cover of the special 2000 Halloween issue in this costume.

Martha takes a turn as the Ghoulish Glampire on one cover of the special 2007 Halloween issue, which had a uniuque double cover touting both Good Things and Bad Things for the holiday.On the Good Things end of the same Halloween issue, Martha casts a heavenly glow of light as a Roman goddess.Back in wicked form this year, for the cover of the 2009 special Halloween issue, Martha chose a ghostly equestrienne as her muse.

And, oh, how she suffers for her art! We, as the benefactors, are glad for it!