Celebrity Pumpkin Carving: Art That Captures Hearts and Goes Viral
Karrah Youngblood never expected that carving celebrities into pumpkins would transform her life, but that’s exactly what happened when her Taylor Swift pumpkin carving went viral with an astonishing 11.6 million views. The 47-year-old Oklahoma graphic designer found herself at the center of social media attention, with Swifties clamoring for her to create a Travis Kelce pumpkin to complement the Swift squash. Youngblood obliged, creating what she playfully called a pumpkin marriage in her TikTok video featuring both celebrities. “I thought he turned out great,” Youngblood told The Post, clearly delighted by the success of her pairing, though one viewer humorously commented that “the pumpkins might last longer than the marriage!”
What makes Youngblood’s story particularly remarkable is the contrast between her humble beginnings and meteoric rise. Just last September, she had a modest 400 followers on social media. Everything changed when her Beyoncé pumpkin carving garnered 11.2 million views, catalyzing her following and leading to nearly 70 million views of her celebrity carvings. The single mother creates these impressive works with surprisingly simple tools: a 97-cent cutting knife, an $18 chisel, a thumbtack, and pumpkins that cost only $3.50 each. Despite these modest materials, her finished works sell for as much as $1,100, demonstrating how truly valuable skill and creativity can be in transforming ordinary objects into extraordinary art.
The recognition of Youngblood’s talent extends beyond social media popularity and into professional collaborations with major companies. Spotify commissioned her to carve Megan Thee Stallion, while Comic Con requested a William Shatner pumpkin. What’s particularly convenient for these business relationships is that physical delivery isn’t necessary—she simply sends her clients short videos of the completed works. Her process, which takes only ninety minutes from start to finish, begins with designing a pattern in Adobe Illustrator, printing and taping it to the pumpkin, using a thumbtack to outline the design, and then spending about half an hour on the actual carving. This efficient workflow allows her to produce multiple celebrity likenesses during the Halloween season, maximizing both her creative output and income.
The technical aspects of Youngblood’s art form reveal a sophisticated understanding of light and dimension despite the rustic medium. “All of us have highlights, shadows and midtones in our faces. And there’s basically three depths of a pumpkin that are easily accessed, either cut all the way through, scraped off, or left alone,” she explained to The Post. This approach to carving creates what might look like “a blubbering mess” before illumination, but when light shines through the pumpkin, the portraits become startlingly realistic. This transformation from seemingly chaotic carvings to distinct celebrity likenesses is part of what captivates her audience, as the reveal moment creates a sense of magic that perfectly suits the Halloween season.
Youngblood’s subject choices reflect her personal interests as a self-described music and sports enthusiast. Her repertoire includes rock icons like Freddie Mercury and Kurt Cobain, contemporary pop stars such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna, and athletes including Peyton Manning, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook. She also takes suggestions from her growing fan base, which has led to unexpected connections with the celebrities themselves. When she carved Paris Hilton at a follower’s request, Hilton followed her on TikTok, creating a direct link between artist and subject. Similarly, when she created a pumpkin tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, his son Jack acknowledged her work with a “like,” further validating her artistic talents in the eyes of those she portrays.
Looking to the future, Youngblood maintains both ambition and humility as she considers new challenges in her unexpected career path. One follower suggested that successfully carving Post Malone—with his distinctive face tattoos and diamond teeth—would earn her the title of “pumpkin queen for life.” Youngblood acknowledges the difficulty but approaches the challenge with optimistic determination: “The diamond teeth and face tattoos might destroy me, but I like my chances.” This attitude perfectly encapsulates the spirit of an artist who transformed a seasonal hobby into viral fame and a sustainable business model. From a small following to partnerships with major brands, from simple tools to complex portraits, Youngblood’s journey shows how passion, skill, and the right timing can turn the most ordinary gourd into extraordinary art that captures both celebrity likenesses and the public’s imagination.
