Meet Mallorie McCune | Artist & Fitness Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mallorie McCune and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mallorie, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Art and music have been in my family for years, so I definitely can say I was born with the artistic and creativity bug! I’d always needed a creative outlet and seemed to always make projects for myself when other avenues weren’t lining up. I didn’t initially expect textiles to be the first type of items I was going to produce for my business, but I truly just started by doing what I liked and it has changed and evolved over the years. In 2014, I started by making custom stage wear for rock & metal bands, local and national. That tapered off after I left the band I was in and thus left the music scene in general as I wasn’t advertising and I purely operated by word of mouth. What it did do though was spark my interest at thinking about legitimately launching Dismal Cyanide Customs as a business. Fast forward to Aug 2020 and I applied for my LLC. I started to crank out my now signature “plushie bats” & my first vending opportunity was the Oddities Fest in May of 2021 in Colorado Springs. My work and its following has grown steadily since then, and I am truly appreciative of everyone who supports my small business!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I first started making and selling art while in college from 2004 to 2007. I worked for a local artist who was selling well on eBay and it gave me the time I needed to produce my own paintings as well. I’ve always been into more gothic/fantasy type subjects and that was certainly reflected in my murals. I only do paintings on commission or when I feel like it now, but still remain with the darker subject matter in most of my product offerings to this day. I have a passion for making my plushie bats (my current best sellers, with magnet feet so they can hang upside down), alternative/goth cameo pendants, witchcraft tools, coffin wallets, and hand painted crystal rune jewelry among many other bits n bobs. I try my best to keep my plushies made from at least 60% 2nd hand or upcycled materials. That aspect of my material gathering took a while to get consistent, but it was very important to me to try and help the environment in such ways. As a creative business owner, you certainly learn by trial and error what is a good product to produce and what just falls flat. Some things are cyclical and some are seasonal, and you have to be honest with yourself about what WILL be worth your time and efforts. But this crazy bat lady will always be making her custom sky puppies for young and older alike!!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Some great ways to spend time for a friend of mine would definitely involve some meals at Colorado Mountain Brewery in OCC, The Lost Cajun in Canon City (worth the drive!!), Jack Quinns & The Rabbit Hole downtown for drinks, & breakfast at Wade’s Cafe or First Watch off Academy Blvd. Driving up Helen Hunt Falls in the summer at dusk, the bats flit overhead and give a naturally lovely ambience to the air. Hiking on any of the surrounding trails or through the old train tunnels would definitely provide some gorgeous landscape photo opportunities. Lastly, an afternoon of bowling or Whirlyball would be a fun jaunt for a couple hours and scoring a good concert at The Black Sheep would round off a trip perfectly!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I certainly thank my parents for starting me off on a great course of art and music experiences at a very young age. My grandmother for making my degree in business possible and therefore giving me a decent foundation to not be intimidated by the mundane aspects of being a creative entrepreneur. My husband for his support and patience, tolerating my late hours when first getting this biz off the ground – I know now I was blind to the amount of time it took me away from him. My bestie and biz partner-in-crime, Angel, for sharing her tips, material knowledge, a corner of her website, and all the many laughs we’ve had while doing shows side by side. My most excellent friend, John, for being a wealth of information and an excellent wingman in this self-made business space. And lastly, all the individuals who have made a purchase or placed a commission order. Your support means my business can continue to offer fun and unique products year after year!!

Website: https://www.milehighangelco.com/collections/dismal-cyanide-customs

Instagram: @dismalcyanide

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisMalCyanideCustoms

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdcgSRWO60cZJmKMawjqJZQ

Image Credits
For my personal photo- Photo Credit: Jay Cathell