It’s “The Great Pumpkin Carver”, Bermuda

Called “The Great Pumpkin Carver” by fans of his Halloween-themed jack-o’-lanterns — who include President Obama, Martha Stewart and Heidi Klum — American artist Ray Villafane was in Bermuda earlier this month to demonstrate how he sculpts his creepy creations.

Sousa’s Landscaping Management Co. invited Mr. Villafane to participate in its recent Fall Fest Pumpkin Carving event and has been selling his kits to allow Bermudians to sculpt their own monstrous masterpieces.

Taking just a few hours to carve, slice and gouge, Mr. Villafane uses everything from spoons to scalpels to create his pumpkins, often carved to resemble famous movie monsters.

The 42-year-old former high school art teacher recently told the UK’s “Daily Mail” he embarked on his pumpkin-carving endeavors to amuse students at Halloween.

“I used to be an art teacher for 13 years at a Michigan School called Bellaire school and one day I was approached for Halloween to do some pumpkin carving,” he said. “I thought why don’t I try and carve the pumpkin like it is a piece of clay as opposed to a large vegetable.

“It came out alright, but the most important result was that the kids at the school absolutely loved it.

“I used to arrive at school and there would be a dozen pumpkins just sitting there waiting for me at my classroom.”

Now working as a designer of superhero models for Marvel and DC Comics, the Phoenix-based artist’s Halloween sideline has become a TV and Internet sensation in recent years.

In 2007 he was invited to participate in the Food Network’s “Challenge Show: Outrageous Pumpkins”. Mr. Villafane competed as one of four professional pumpkin sculptors, impressed the judges enough to sweep all three rounds and was awarded the Grand Prize.

“Outrageous Pumpkins” logged the highest ratings of any “Challenge episode”, and a second invitation was extended to Mr. Villafane in 2009 when he successfully defended his title in their “Outrageous Pumpkins Challenge II”.

The exposure of his style, talent and creativity amassed an all-new appreciation for pumpkin “carving” and from Sousa’s Gardens in Bermuda to the President’s Quarters in the White House to Hedi Klum’s Las Vegas Halloween party, his pumpkins continue to attract a cult-like following.

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