From Personal Project to Exhibition: The Story of Skelly E. Ton

When I first created Skelly, he was never meant to become anything more than a fun side project, a character that allowed me to unwind and let my imagination roam freely between commissions. He was my way of playing with ideas that didn’t need to conform to any specific brief—just a small skeleton boy, slightly sad, exploring the joys of life, despite his gloomy origin as the son of the Grim Reaper.

But Skelly quickly took on a life of his own.

There’s something about him—a little skeleton who doesn’t want the weight of his underworld legacy. Instead, he finds solace in small moments of joy, like enjoying an ice cream, playing with kittens, or making snow angels. His adventures with his best friend, a baby Kraken, began to resonate with people in ways I hadn’t expected. It was heartwarming to see how much love and empathy Skelly began to receive from those who saw my art. His story of rejecting a preordained path in favor of discovering life’s little pleasures felt relatable and even uplifting to many.

As more and more people started showing an interest in Skelly, it became clear that he deserved more than just the occasional art post—he needed his own space, a special exhibition where his world could be fully realized. And thus, the Skelly Exhibition was born.

This exhibition gives me the opportunity to dive even deeper into Skelly’s story. It allows me to showcase his whimsical adventures and thoughtful moments, and to share the deeper themes behind the character: the idea of seeking joy even when life seems daunting, and the simple beauty of living in the moment. It’s exciting to see Skelly go from being my personal creative outlet to something larger, something that others can connect with too.

If you're curious to see Skelly’s journey for yourself, I’d love for you to join me at the Skelly Exhibition. From October 9th to November 6th, 2024, you can step into Skelly’s world at the Makespace Gallery in Hitchin. Whether you’ve followed Skelly from the start or are meeting him for the first time, I hope his story will resonate with you as much as it has with me.

Come say hi to Skelly and his baby Kraken friend—there’s plenty of ice cream, snow angels, and perhaps even a few bubble baths waiting for them in the upworld!