The Famed Artist of ‘The Conjuring’ Universe
If you have seen ‘The Conjuring’, you must’ve heard the name Ed Warren. Remember that scene where Ed Warren portrayed by American actor Patrick Wilson drew the ‘Nun’? GOOSEBUMPS!! All over our body. Unlike Lorraine (Vera Farmiga), we weren’t astounded by the gorgeous (and hyperrealistic) Valak, but rather that a man can so easily wear multiple hats.
We know that not everything played on television and cinema is not the absolute truth. That’s the reason why we dug even further. Upon reading, Gerald Brittle’s ‘The Demonologist,’ the answers became clear; as clear as Lorraine’s vision. It turns out that Ed Warren did indeed engender a couple of accurate (and spooky) paintings. But that is not how he began.
Forget Van Helsing, Ed Warren is Our Latest Paranormal Painter Obsession
Edward Warren Miney was a Bridgeport native, born in 1926. During WWII, he was a member of the US Navy and served in both the Pacific and European theatres. After his military discharge, he went to Yale’s subsidiary art school, Perry Art School. He later met his wife and they married in 1945. By then, Warren had taken up house and sign painting.
However, once Ed Warren got into the paranormal business, he’d put his fine arts degree to a never-before-seen use. After preliminary research, they would drive to the haunted residence, which Ed would paint beforehand. This Warren artwork was a mandated gift, gaining their admiration and conversations with the property owners. Some might see it as a genius door to a career of investigation.
What did Ed Warren Paint?
After their marriage, the couple travelled to New England selling Ed’s paintings and looking for work. It is believed that the couple would also visit haunted houses, which served as inspiration to the impressionable Ed Warren. In addition, Ed Warren’s paintings also chronicled New England winters, barns, bridges, snow, and fall scenes.
For example, he drew ‘The White Lady Of Union Graveyard,’ which depicts a ghost from a cemetery. According to Judith Penney, an alleged former paramour of Ed (who claims to have been in a relationship with him when she was merely 15 and he in his mid-30s), the painting helped him maintain the garb of a certified ghost hunter. The painting, made in the summer of 1990, was made in Union Cemetery in Easton, Connecticut, recording the universal ‘white lady,’ a ghost that is said to haunt the cemetery.
A Demonologist in Ed Warren Enters the Chat!
Although art could’ve been a lucrative opportunity for him, he instead pursued being a paranormal investigator, establishing the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952. The Warrens looked beyond the light, helping (although some call it scamming) those troubled by demonic entities, whose stories were considered “blarney.”
Despite the criticisms, the couple continued doing what they did best. Towards the final years of their career, the Warrens gave out lectures, seminars, and television appearances to pass on their knowledge. After Ed Warren died in 2006, Lorraine Warren kept his passion alive. Soon enough, the world would know of their history and their work in the form of ‘The Conjuring’ universe.
Image Courtesy – Screen Rant
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