The Man Behind the Monsters: Tim Murton's Creative Journey
Release Date: 10/07/2025
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Mayor Shawn Watters view of PASSIONATE Elora Town Hall
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The October 7th Centre Wellington Town Hall was a deeply passionate affair, highlighting the struggle between a "close-knit" community's concerns and the realities of immense tourism pressure. We go inside the packed Jefferson Elora community hall, where residents gathered to confront polarizing issues like rapid growth and infrastructure strain. Mayor Shawn Watters addressed significant resident frustration and the surge in tourism. The biggest news confirmed at the meeting? Reiterating the paid parking system for tourists to manage the impact of over 750,000 annual visitors. Plus, we discuss...
info_outlineJoin us for a fascinating conversation with Tim Murton, the acclaimed artist and "monster maker" behind Elora's legendary Monster Month. This annual event, which Murton started 28 years ago, has become a beloved tradition in Centre Wellington.
In this episode, we sit down with Tim right in the heart of downtown Elora, coffee in hand, to explore his journey from a sought-after scenic designer in the movie industry to the creative force behind our local Halloween spectacle .
In Our Chat with Tim Murton:
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From Film to Monsters: Tim worked as a scenic designer for movies like The Piano and Resident Evil before starting his monster-making journey
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The Origin Story: His doctor advised him to do something "crude" for himself, which led to him creating his first ghouls and hanging them on his house.
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The Power of Creativity: Tim finds it "really refreshing" to be around the "plasticity of mind" of young, creative people . He believes Halloween gives everyone the license to be creative and express their fears and desires without judgment.
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Balancing Scary and Funny: The key to his monsters is a simple pattern of "scary faces" that also make people laugh. He views his art as a way to prepare people's spirits for the dark months of the year with a sense of humor .
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A Cultural Responsibility: Tim felt a responsibility to continue Monster Month after people knocked on his door asking for the monsters when he didn't put them up one year. His biggest fear is for the event to become too commercial.
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The Future of Monster Month: Tim hopes the event will become a "festival of creativity" that others who love and support it will continue for years to come.
All this and more!
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