Did you know that you can have a career as a professional pumpkin carver? People know pumpkin carving as just a fun Halloween tradition, where all you have to do is carve something somewhat resembling a face. This lighthearted hobby, however, is no joke to a “Maniac” (yes, that’s the name of the profession). The Maniacs are a small community of pumpkin-carvers who charge upwards of $700 dollars for one custom pumpkin. All Maniacs work other jobs to support themselves, because they aren’t in the pumpkin-carving industry for the money; they do it because they love it and consider it a form of artistic expression.
Maniac Pumpkin Carving is an example of a passion turned into a job. According to Priceonomics, Founders Marc Evan and Chris Soria have been working at this career for over 20 years. The founders met in sixth grade, where they bonded over their similar interests in horror movies and drawing. They started by carving pumpkins for fun in their town while they were in high school, and then they began to get some attention from the press and gained some high-status clients. When I say high status, I mean The Yankees, the Food Network and even Martha Stewart. Marc and Chris realized they could make a business; their pumpkin carving went from a basement activity to a full-fledged successful company. They are based in Yonkers, New York, and their goal is to create the best pumpkin carving artwork available. Both founders are also full-time artists, painting murals when it’s not fall. Their artwork, both pumpkins and murals, has been displayed all over the country, and they have been able to expand “Maniac” by hiring more staff to support the high demand. They’re hopeful that the career of being a “Maniac” will continue to grow in popularity and their company will expand to reach even more of the U.S. during the Halloween season.
[Image via Reader's Digest Canada]
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