Shivers: Were you afraid of monsters as a child?
Tomlinson: As a young boy growing up in the dense forests of Scandinavia and also the windswept islands and Highlands of Western Scotland, I was surrounded by bizarre creatures of all sorts. I was taught early as long as you respected the beasts, they would do the same for you. My father was a captain whose mission it was to unearth all he could of the various sea monsters in the sea surrounding the British Isles, and my mother was a champion of the rights of various misunderstood creatures. Through them I encountered many a monster that most might find fearsome, but to me they always felt a part of the family.
Shivers: How old were you when you came face-to-face with your first monster?
Tomlinson: When I was around five or six years old, my mother befriended a kelpie, and brought her to our home. She was unable to speak any language we could decipher, but we garnered her name was "Echámhix". As you may be aware, kelpies are shapeshifting creatures that inhabit most lochs in Scotland. They frequently are seen as otherworldly horses, but can sometimes transform into human-like shapes. Echámhix was like a great, deep, black horse, the deepest black one has ever seen, with eyes that were almost as deep black as her hair that seemed to glow as if a light shone behind them. Her mane was made not of hair, but long scaly wire-like appendages, almost appearing as snakes as they moved of their own accord.
In our house, she remained somewhat human, and in this form had skin so white it was almost clear. You could see a blueish colour just beneath the surface of her skin that constantly flowed in serpentine movements. Instead of feet she had hoof appendages, and her hands had only three fingers with thick webbing between each. When she spoke her bizarre language her mouth barely opened, as if she was creating the sound at the back of her throat as a bird might. She stayed for three nights, sitting quietly by the fire by night, and walking the path near the wood by day. She never ate nor appeared to sleep. She frequently tried to communicate with my mother, and as much as my mother tried, she could not seem to make head nor tail of what she wanted to say.
One rainy, cold morning she walked out the door and her skin began to ooze and tighten and the blue beneath seemed to glow as her body rapidly transformed to her horse form. She took one last look at us and galloped away. My mother rode after her and reported she watched Echámhix dive deep into the dark waters of the loch, never to be seen again. The rumor of kelpies eating humans was never true, just a myth, and one my mother felt strongly about squelching.
Shivers: What are your favorite classes to teach at the Institute?
Tomlinson: Taxonomic Identification is the precise order of relations from one monster to the next and has always been a love of mine. I'm also quite fond of Introduction to Monster Etiquette. It's a class designed to help the absolute beginners in our institute, as well as being a requirement for all first-year students. In it we make sure to put a cork in all the wild and inaccurate myths and misunderstandings about monsters and teach valuable lessons about how to properly approach, control, capture, and study various creatures. It's always been one of my favourite classes as you see the young students really becoming entranced by monsterology.
Shivers: Can you share a synopsis of what you're currently researching?
Tomlinson: Certainly. Currently, I'm working on a paper titled Communication Tactics of the Lesser Kheligioc. Kheligiocs, I'm sure aware you are aware, are in general fractionating in their extreme and various forms of communication. But the Lesser Kheligioc have perhaps one of the most complex communications of almost any animal. They communicate through a complex series of calls, pattern flashes through the use of chromatophores on their wing flaps, scent markings through over two dozen different chemical markers, and a bizarre habit of tapping in rhythms with their fingers across the head of their partners. We are still unsure of the reasoning behind why the Lesser Kheligioc need such a wide and varied array of communication. I've been spending several years now trying to uncover a reason.
Shivers: How do you protect yourself against vicious monster attacks?
Tomlinson: As with any dangerous animal, monster or otherwise, the best method is to give it distance. Most extant monsters are usually not after us humans for prey. There are, of course, exception to that rule. For those that might see us as prey, we stand downwind, cover our tracks, and always be sure to keep ample distance when studying them. Also as a rule of thumb, one should know the weaknesses of the more dangerous monsters they are studying, as almost all of them have one. For monsters who might do us harm, but not see us as a food source, I give the same advice I do to people studying medically significant spiders; they don't WANT to hurt you, it's just that they very much can, and will do so if they feel threatened. So, as long as your respect their boundaries, you'll be just fine.
Shivers: Where are your favorite places for monster viewing?
Tomlinson: As humans progress more and more, there are fewer and fewer places to view monsters in their wild habitat. I always tell my first-year students, the best places for monster viewing are as far away from human settlement as you can be in a given region. Deepest of darkest jungles, mountain tops, deep valleys dense with vegetation, small uninhabited islands, etc. Personally I enjoy time in the midst of the Highlands of Scotland from my youth, kilometers away from any human home, just the wild to keep you company.
Shivers: Tell us a little bit about why you're hosting Monster Arts Projects.
Tomlinson: Monsters are of course near and dear to my heart, and I want nothing more than to get the public as excited by them as I am. Monsters inhabit a very special place in the human psyche, we are surrounded by them in the real world and in our own minds. They spark imagination in a way no other creatures does, they enlighten a magical world just beyond our general perception. I've found a good variety of astounding artists that feel the same way! Twenty-two of them this year.
Shivers: What can the visitor expect at this year's exhibit?
Tomlinson: This year we are going backstage at a traveling circus. One can expect a magical world full of amazing sights and sounds and can expect to be transported to this other world as they walk in the door. We have amazing works of paintings, sculptures, illustrations, games, interactive art- so many exciting things! In addition, at the opening party, we will have some monsterous circus perfomers, including a space mantid. There will be various creatures caged and chained throughout the exhibit. All of the artwork is for sale.
Shivers: What do you hope visitors will take away from the exhibit?
Tomlinson: My greatest hope is that visitors come and experience something they may have never experienced before and leave feeling excited and inspired by the very depths of their own imagination.
Next week, I'll be featuring a few of the artists that will be exhibiting. Even if you don't live in the area, you'll learn where you can purchase their work online.
When immersed in water, I see the kelpie clearly...Mother of all mothers
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