Recreating Seaview Terrace

Lara Parker, with Branch's sculpture.

I am lucky.

Because I am an artist — if I want a portrait of Victoria Winters, I paint it; if I want to play a Dark Shadows Game (—and immerse myself in the world), I create it; and if I want a model of Collinwood, I mold it, fire it and hand paint it.

In 1995, I was able to visit a friend at the Salve Regina Dorm, Seaview Terrace/Carey Mansion, we all know and love as Collinwood. I got inside and wrote a book about it. After that, I took a million photos of the building’s details – and then proceeded to make 3 sculptures of it.  The medium one, I sent to the Carey’s as a gift. The other two I kept. These photos are of the larger. It’s a bit ragged but I love it. It became a bit more ragged in 2007 when one of my cats (not the one in the photo) chewed on some of the peaks and bit off the chimneys and trees. I glued it back together for these photos.

I also have attached a photo of Lara Parker holding the same sculpture at one of the NYC Dark Shadows Festivals where I had a dealer’s table.

- BILL BRANCH