Villafane

This month, Mr. Villafane, 42 years old, could be seen competing on the Food Network's "Halloween Wars," a baking-and-carving contest for which he recently created a life-size pumpkin zombie oozing seeds and guts.

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011

This Halloween, Mr. Villafane will probably carve a pumpkin for the front stoop, though he's exhausted by the time Oct. 31 rolls around.

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011

Kristi Russell, president of Metal Flowers Media, the production company that found the contestants for "Halloween Wars," called Mr. Villafane "the aristocracy of pumpkin carving."

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011

A native of Queens, N.Y., and a graduate of New York's School of Visual Arts, Mr. Villafane first began carving about 12 years ago, while working as an art teacher in Bellaire, Mich.

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011

On a recent afternoon, Ray Villafane studied a pumpkin face that looked, by turns, like a sad cartoon Popeye, a vampire and the actor Gérard Depardieu.

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011

Mr. Villafane often sketches on the pumpkin surface with a ribbon tool before committing to deeper cuts, and he smoothes the face with a scouring pad so the pumpkin looks more flesh-like.

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011

He also asked the top competitors from Food Network's "Outrageous Pumpkins" -- including champ Ray "The Pumpkin Diva" Villafane -- to carve 12 showpieces for the White House.

Halloween at the White House: Some healthy eats with the tricks and treats (photos) The Reliable Source 2010

Pumpkin by Ray Villafane for The Wall Street Journal In the 1990s, Mr. King was collecting advances of around $16 million a book.

Stephen King's New Monster Alexandra Alter 2011

At his home in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise, Ariz., Mr. Villafane frequently stays up all night working, guzzling Monster energy drinks under the gaze of his green tree python, Jezebel, who lives in a glass case near his work table.

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011

Mr. Villafane, who makes a living sculpting wax prototypes for toy action-figures, spends much of his time following detailed specs for companies such as DC Comics.

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving Ellen Gamerman 2011