Photos by Ralph Freso
Gymnastics, wrestling, cheerleading.
If it required tumbling, Grand Canyon University alumnus Joshua Warshaw did it growing up.
Alongside his twin brother, Jacob, the duo fascinated the crowds at home basketball games as cheerleaders who became legendary for their tumbling and striking resemblance.
But since college graduation, Joshua has gained a new reputation, fascinating crowds with his personally designed and sculpted Halloween masks and costumes.
“It just started with hand drawing,” Warshaw said. “I watched my grandfather make his own costumes, then I had an interest in it and started developing costumes also. It spiraled out of that and now it’s 15 years later.”
Warshaw’s love for art began at an early age when he watched his grandfather sculpt and develop a kid’s puppet show.
As he watched his grandfather bring his art to life, Warshaw was moved to create his own magic, only with special effects makeup.
“For Josh, it was always something that has been a deep core for him and lets him have another outlet," said Jacob Warshaw.
“After college, Josh really wanted to pursue doing special effects. I would come home late from work and Josh would be sculpting. I would wake up in the morning and he would still be up sculpting. He is somebody that is driven hard.”
Long-time gymnasts and wrestlers in high school, the Warshaw twins were stars on gym mats. After watching them perform, the cheer coach at their high school asked if they would join the cheer team.
“We weren’t sure if that is our thing, so we said no,” Joshua said. “But then one day, we were late to school. My mom was filling out papers and the coach was there.
“We never told our mom about what she had said to us and my mom was a cheerleader as well. So, the coach tells our mom, ‘I’ve been trying to get your twins to cheer.’ She said, ‘Oh, that’s interesting. I didn’t know anything about this. They will be at your next practice. When is it?’”
Cheerleading led to unexpected open doors.
The Warshaw brothers received scholarships to GCU’s Cheer team.
But for Joshua it was only a "yes" after he found out the university offered a graphic design major with an emphasis in animation. Though cheerleading had become important, Joshua was persistent on pursing and developing his art.
“Character and creative design are what kind of sparked me to go in that avenue,” Warshaw said. “It’s the same principles I use now whenever I am designing a sculpture, creature and stuff like that.
“With my degree, I was looking at what could get me closest to design characters and animation has those same design principles. Once GCU offered a sculpture class, I was sold. I had that class as a sophomore but until senior year, I would just pop back into the classroom to sculpt.”
Warshaw’s post-college Curator of the Creeps freelance work and Halloween contests appearances were noticed by Midnight Studios FX, which offered him his dream job as a special effects makeup artist. He made his debut on several Netflix and Shudder streaming service films, featuring his work creating werewolves, zombies and goblins.
“It’s surreal when you see it on the screen, like wow, I didn’t think I’d ever see my piece on a TV screen and make it that far,” he said.
His job was cut short due to COVID-19, he said, but the two years he spent with the studio provided industry connections that opened new doors for high-level costume-making competitions, shows and festivals.
One of the most memorable moments for Warshaw happened as a vendor at Monsterpalooza, an annual convention in California featuring various horror, monsters and special effects artists.
Warshaw had created a zombie bust, composed of a head, shoulders and chest, which was bought by legendary prosthetic makeup artist and actor, Tom Savini. Additionally, his art was displayed in the Monsterpalooza Museum for a special viewing, a privilege only offered to a handful of artists.
“I was like, ‘Oh, you guys thought my piece was actually worthy enough to go into that?’
“It was a monumental moment to see I am actually doing some good, powerful work, especially being a guy that doesn’t really have a big studio, just a little artist at the time.’”
Every mask and costume begin with a sketch for Warshaw. The sketch is translated from paper to clay, sculpting and molding until the ideal form is created. Followed by pouring into casting, adding material, trimming and cleaning, Warshaw finishes the tedious but fun month-long process with painting, all out of the comfort of his Scottsdale home.
The Arizona Science Center recently hosted Warshaw as a vendor for a Halloween event to display his scariest monsters and creatures, where he was accompanied by his long-time fellow artist and inspiration, Ed Kennifick.
“Josh is very ambitious about what he does,” Kennifick said. “He impresses me a lot because he is always ambitious to move away from what’s already been done and create his own original ideas, voice and language.”
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
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