From Terrified to Terrifying

Send us Fan MailAsh from Dead Puppy Studios makes human-skin masks, special effects, creepy props and the occasional skin lamp. Ash has also worked as a scare actor, including a memorable turn as a Southern cannibal grandma. Naturally, Kendall and Corey had to know more.But, Ash’s relationship with horror started in a very different place. For much of Ash’s life, scary movies and haunted attractions weren’t fun. They were genuinely frightening. After experiencing trauma and anxiety, horror could feel like one more thing to avoid. Just a few years ago, Ash had a panic attack inside a Halloween Horror Nights attraction and had to be escorted out.Then, Ash made a choice: go back inside. In Part 1 of our conversation, Ash talks about that remarkable evolution from being terrified by horror to creating it, and how controlled scares became an unexpected part of healing. We also get into scare acting, the psychology of haunted attractions, moving to Salem, launching Dead Puppy Studios and learning to channel difficult emotions into art.Plus, we learn how those wonderfully disturbing human-skin masks are actually made. It’s funny, candid, creepy and right at the heart of why we created this podcast.Horror Heals: Where the things that scare us can also save us.Come back next week for Part 2 with Ash.Thank you for listening to Horror Heals. Share the show with someone who loves horror and someone who needs a little healing.If you want to support our guests, check the show notes for links to their work, conventions, and fundraising pages.You can also listen to our sister podcast Family Twist, a show about DNA surprises, identity, and the families we find along the way.Horror Heals is produced by Mosaic Multimedia LLC.Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.