You have a very recognizable style, mixing a gothic whimsy with the macabre, that is synonymous with many of Richmond's horror themed events (i.e. zombie walk, poe museum.) How did you come to discover your knack for darker illustrations?

I don't know if it's something I discovered, but instead it's just an ingrained fascination with strange things. I grew up with parents who have a great love of history, and our house was full of antiques and artifacts from all over the world... it was the perfect setting for a budding imagination. I read a lot of gothic novels and found Poe and Shelley at an early age, which inspired me greatly. I've always been a bit different, so I think that the strange, outcast, unusual things always had an appeal to me.

You list many wonderfully dark writers as your biggest influences. Is there a particular book that sticks out as playing an integral part or perhaps just one that you feel everyone should read?

I'm of course a huge fan of Poe - and how that started was at one of those Scholastic book fairs that my elementary school had. A book fair is already a magical event, but one particular fair I went to I picked up a lovely small book - the cover was a closeup photo of a purple/black cat's face with menacing green eyes. It was Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" in a chapbook form. I had to have it. It just called out to me. I sat on the floor of our tiny library and read it, then read it again until I was called to go back to class. Now, I don't think that's a story every child should read, but I still love it to this day. I don't know if there's a single book I think everyone should read - reading, like watching movies, listening to music, or collecting artwork can be deeply personal. Not everyone will enjoy the wonder and horror that H.P. Lovecraft inspires in me, or the gloomy tragedy in Poe's works. I don't know if there's a book I've read that can speak to everyone. But if you find one that speaks to you, that's good enough.

What are you reading now?

I've just started Dan Simmons' "Carrion Comfort," and I'm also reading "Hannibal Lecter and Philosophy" as my guilty pleasure, haha!

When did you feel like you had established yourself in the art world?

Well, I feel like I'm still in the process of establishing myself. I guess it was real that it was happening when I started getting into galleries, and getting job offers from big companies. But I think the feeling that I've "made it" in the art world is when I go to shows and people see my artwork on display, and know it's mine. Whenever that happens, I feel confident that I've made a good impression.

Do you feel women in the art and horror communities have to market themselves differently to get recognized?

There's a lot I could say on this matter, but to keep things concise, I'll say this. Something I've noticed is that, despite the vast number of MRA trolls online, most men don't really care if a woman did the concept art, or the coloring, or the design, as long as it's a good product. I don't encourage women - or anyone for that matter - to mold themselves to fit in with a crowd. I never gave it much thought, myself. I just wanted to draw scary stuff. It's hard enough being an outcast for wearing black clothes and heavy eyeliner, but if I also have to worry about what men will think of my work simply because I'm a woman, well, I'd be in for an uphill battle. And let's be honest - worrying about what other people think is an awful waste of time. As long as you're producing good work that you like, and you're able to share it with the world - you'll be recognized. Don't do it to impress someone, don't do it to fit in, don't do it for fame or money. Do it because you have something valuable to say with your art.

You just released an Alice In Wonderland coloring book! What made you decide on the wonderland theme? Any plans for more coloring books in the future?

Yes! I'm very excited about it! I actually was approached by the publisher to come up with an "Alice" coloring book. I showed them some samples of my Alice pieces, and they went for it. It all happened incredibly fast. I was particularly excited to illustrate Alice because it's been one of my favorite stories for most of my life. There have been articles and theses and books written about why Alice is so important, but I love it for Wonderland. The subconscious dream world where anything can happen. And yes! I think there are more coloring books coming in the future!

What is your perfect day in RVA?

I (naturally) love the VMFA. I like to hang out in the Muse cafe and go through a couple of their exhibit-themed cocktails, and wander around the museum district. My new favorite shop, Rest in Pieces, would be a good stop after that. I might stroll through Hollywood Cemetery for a while, or see if the Poe Museum is doing an event, then go to Carytown, and hunt down a restaurant. I love Can Can and Galaxy, but there are too many great local restaurants from Carytown down to Shockoe. It seems like they're always changing, so there's always something new to try.

Your art has been showcased in galleries all over the world. Have you been able to travel to experience the openings? Do you know how the reaction to your work has been overseas?

I wish! I've been to England, France, and Italy, but those were pleasure trips, not for any of my shows. I'd really love to make it overseas to see an opening, because I love to travel, and I love meeting people who enjoy my work. Most of what I know about how my worked is perceived overseas is through the internet. I get messages all the time from people from Northern Europe down to South America who love my illustrations and want me to visit their country. It's a wonderful feeling, knowing I've inspired people who really love what I do, and I hope eventually to plan at least a few trips to more countries when I can make the openings.

How do you keep from keeping all of your illustrations for yourself? Is your home plastered with your work?

Haha! Not at all, actually! It's funny, but I don't really like to hang my own work. I like to hang artwork that inspires me. Illustrations are used to tell a story, so my illustrations are to be viewed and shared. I love interpreting a story and seeing reactions from viewers, so it's very easy for me to share my work.

Freddy or Jason?

Jason.

I was very excited to see your illustration on a bottle of wine in the Vincent Price signature wine collection! How did a collaboration with Victoria Price come to be? Are there any other exciting collaborations in the works for us to look forward to?

Victoria was great to work with! She actually just emailed me out of the blue, and said she loved my work, and would be passing through Richmond and wanted to know if we could meet up to discuss a project. It took me a few minutes to let it sink in that I'd be having lunch with Vincent Price's daughter, but we met up, chatted, and she told me about this wine collection she was planning, and asked if I'd take on one of the bottle designs. It was one of my favorite projects, and I really hope we'll do something again in the future!

Did you prefer a scary book or a scary movie?

Scary book, usually. I like to use my imagination to figure out what the monsters look like, rather than see it all on screen. Though I love them both! "The Babadook" is one of the best horror movies I've ever seen, and I really thought it was brilliant that the Babadook itself is a monster illustration that comes to life. They also went on to publish the Babadook picture book from the movie, making the whole project a wonderfully wrapped package. It's just perfect. (Shoutout to the incredible director, Jennifer Kent!)

What do you think Richmond needs to do to grow our Horror Community?

I'd love to see more shows and festivals here. It's Poe's home, after all! I can't believe we don't have a Poe Film Fest, or host a horror convention. We have plenty of horror fans here, and it's a great city that's travel-friendly. We have the convention center downtown, lots of hotels, and we're next to an airport. I think if we had a dedicated team we could make Richmond a horror fan destination.

What are you planning to do to celebrate Women in Horror Month?

Well, unfortunately it won't be ready for this year's WiHM, but I've been organizing a collaboration with a group of female Richmond artists to do an anthology of Poe's works that feature female characters - Ligeia, Berenice, Morella, Annabel Lee, etc. Due to my demanding freelance projects, I've had to let that one go for now, but hopefully we'll be able to start teasing our progress so far!

Thanks so much to Abigail Larson for taking the time to share with us. Make sure you visit her website www.abigaillarson.com, and follow her on all the social medias: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.

She also has a magnificent amount of product you can purchase with her work on it (I may have gotten the most wondrous pencil skirt from her redbubble shop. I highly recommend it). I encourage you to do so. Support your local artists!