KEARNS — Leonardo da Vinci created his masterpieces on woven fabric, wood and walls. Shakespeare stroked words into wonders on parchment. Michelangelo made marvels out of marble and a chapel ceiling.
And the canvas of choice for Blake Anderson's art?
Try pumpkins.
Over the past 15 years, the creative and talented squash sculptor has become the Picasso of pumpkin carving.
As has become his annual tradition, Anderson, 44, took the day off to slice and dice his way through a patch of pumpkins. He's home, but Halloween is a working holiday for him. By the time the trick-or-treaters hit the street tonight, his carving crafts have to be ready and on display.
If you're in the area, you can't miss his front yard: It's the one that looks like the Jack o' Lantern Louvre.
Well, sort of. He isn't exactly chopping a Mona Lisa or a Starry Night into the pumpkins. Not this time, at least. This year's art derives from "The Incredible Hulk," "Finding Nemo," "The Matrix" and, if he finds enough time this afternoon, "The Lord of the Rings."
"Every year," he said, "I choose a movie and use that as a theme so everyone can guess what it is."
Anderson — who also does artistic metal work (including metal pumpkins) — has carved as many as 250 pumpkins since he started this hobby in the late 1980s. Each Halloween, he does about a dozen carvings — anything from Elvis (a fan favorite), Shrek characters (Donkey, Lord Farquaad et al.), Medusa and her slithering snakes, a big-haired troll, Darth Vader, Chewbacca and even a coyote barking at the moon by a cactus on a New Mexico mesa.
"These are pretty simple," he says while carefully carving out Neo and Agent Smith from "The Matrix."
Easy for him to say. Anderson first creates his designs on the computer. He then tapes the outline on the cleaned-out pumpkin, pokes holes along the pattern's lines with a Pumpkin Masters tool, removes the paper and carefully cuts out the unwanted pieces using three different small specialty saws.
The finished products are remarkable resemblances of the movie characters, down to the most intricate details and facial expressions. And he's never ruined a pumpkin (or had one smashed, for that matter).
Every year, he gets visitors and old neighbors from all over who return to see his newest releases. Others just slowly drive by. He keeps the pumpkins lit up with Christmas lights — candles blow out too easily — until after midnight.
Friends and neighbors call him "The Pumpkin Man." He laughed that some also call him "nuts." But he swears he isn't out of his gourd. He just digs designing pumpkins.
"I enjoy carving and creating, but I like to see people and their reactions, especially the kids," he said. "It's something I enjoy and it's not expensive."
This year, a former neighbor brought a pumpkin from her garden for him to use. He bought the rest of his crop for 4 cents a pound at Smith's, spending about 10 bucks total.
About 10 years ago, Anderson won second place in the faces category of a national pumpkin-carving contest for his man-in-the-moon-like "Night Watchman." He used a photo of his late father as a model for the creation. It's his all-time sentimental favorite.
He also won a cash award for it. But the prize was only $250, so he had to keep his day job.
"That," he said, "barely covers the candy we give away every year."
But Anderson isn't in this for the money. He politely refuses when people ask him to create their pumpkins. And he has to turn down offers from those who want to buy his carvings. The art is put to good use after being exhibited.
He's not just The Pumpkin Man because he carves. After displaying his creativity, he bakes it, squishes it up and freezes it so he can whip up some of his famous pumpkin pies later on.
Anderson's carving process normally takes place in his garage. But it was snowing Thursday, so he moved indoors.
"If my wife asks," he said, "I didn't do them in the kitchen."
E-mail: jody@desnews.com