PepsiCo/Frito-Lay/Cheetos Halloween Exhibit Competition

$50,000.00 Grand Prize Winner
Original Monster Creation by Crystal Powell 2016
At The Cheetos Museum www.cheetosmuseum.com

Cheetos, a renowned brand under PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, has named local surreal oil painter, Crystal Powell, the inaugural winner of the Cheetos Museum Halloween Edition Contest. Crystal's winning entry, titled "Say Cheese," earned her the grand prize of $50,000 and the distinction of Most Creative Fan Submission after she entered her creation in September 2016. Her artwork was further honored when Athena Studios immortalized it in a short stop-motion animation film, "Bag of Bones," which was showcased at select AMC theaters and featured on CheetosMuseum.com.

The Halloween-themed contest invited fans to embrace the spirit of the season by using their creativity to craft one-of-a-kind monsters using any Cheetos brand product, including the limited-edition Cheetos Bag of Bones skeleton shapes. Submissions were displayed in the Halloween Exhibit on CheetosMuseum.com from September 20 to October 31, 2016, where fans could vote for their favorite creations. The entries receiving the highest number of fan votes advanced to a judging panel, where they were evaluated based on uniqueness, creativity, and overall concept.

For her winning piece, "Say Cheese," Crystal Powell used nearly 200 Cheetos, including a mix of the original cheese-flavored and red-hot Bag of Bones skeleton shapes. Her creation depicts a whimsical female Cyclops character playfully showcasing her new spooky skeleton earrings in a social media-inspired selfie. The imaginative concept resonated with fans and judges alike, capturing the essence of creativity and modern cultural relevance.

The Cheetos Museum continues to celebrate its fans' boundless creativity, inspiring artists to share their unique visions. San Diego is now home to Crystal Powell, the grand prize winner of the Halloween Edition Contest. Her award-winning Cheetos Monster Creation and her other works can be viewed at IndirectEffectsArt.com or on Instagram at @indirecteffectsart.

Show your support for local artists by following Crystal Powell's journey, and stay updated on her latest creations!

Original Mural Art by Crystal Powell 2012

At The Grand Del Mar in Del Mar, CA.

After five years of working at the prestigious Grand Del Mar, Crystal Powell was honored with the opportunity to create a monumental mural as a tribute to the staff for achieving the distinguished 15-Star Award in 2012—a title held by only two hotels in the United States at that time.

Commissioned by the hotel’s owner, Crystal was tasked with designing a one-of-a-kind piece that celebrated the hardworking individuals behind the hotel's success. The mural, measuring an impressive 30 feet by 10 feet, was prominently located in the newly constructed staff locker rooms, symbolizing gratitude and recognition for their collective efforts.

To authentically represent the diverse team, Crystal photographed over 40 staff members across various departments, including housekeeping, room service, fine dining, bell services, doormen, front desk, valet, and more. Thoughtfully arranging the figures, she depicted the women on the female side of the locker room and the men on the male side, ensuring every individual’s role was celebrated in her work.

As a finishing touch, Crystal incorporated the iconic Grand Del Mar logo into the mural, adding a final, personal element to the composition. The result was a visually striking and deeply meaningful artwork that captured the spirit, dedication, and camaraderie of the Grand Del Mar staff.

Loss of Innocence: A collection of Cremated Toys


By:Crystal Powell and Tessa Medearis 2010
Collaborative Instillation Art. “Reflections of the Keepers,” 

Studio 2306, Oceanside.

Collaborative Installation Art by Crystal Powell and Tessa Medearis, 2010

A columbarium is a sacred space for the respectful and often public storage of cinerary urns—vessels containing the cremated remains of the departed. In the depths of our closets, we unearthed suitcases brimming with relics of our childhood: old toys that once held profound significance in our daily lives. Each face was like a cherished friend, one who had listened to stories too numerous to recount.

With the passage of time, we lost not only our youth but also the innocence that accompanied it. These toys, now forgotten and tucked away in the shadows of the past, became silent reminders of simpler days. We had once carried Molly with us everywhere, eager for her to witness the wonders that awaited along every path.

Burning these toys offered a fleeting moment of closure—an acknowledgment of a time when life was untouched by the complexities of adulthood. As their faces melted into ash, the sensation was not of discarding objects, but of bidding farewell to old friends. Through stories, images, and memories, we will continue to honor these toys, even though we will never again play with them.

Overhearing Power


 By Crystal Powell, Tessa Medearis, Michelle & Megan 2010
Collaborative Instillation Art. Studio 2306, Oceanside.

Collaborative Installation Art

Upon entering the space, viewers are enveloped in an oversized closet, where they peer through shuttered doors to witness a powerful display of images depicting war, tragedy, and influential figures. From either side of the closet emanates a striking contrast of audio. On the left, iconic speeches from figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill, and George W. Bush resonate, each voice a testament to the power of words in shaping history. On the right, an eerie instrumental soundtrack unfolds, enhancing the atmosphere with its haunting melodies.

The seamless interplay of video, sound, and lighting cultivates an immersive environment—one that transports the viewer into the sensation of hiding within the shadows, witnessing something forbidden. It evokes the intimate moments before these figures, in the comfort of their private spaces, prepared to step into a harsh reality where monumental decisions await. The experience blurs the line between history and human vulnerability, forcing a reflection on the weight of leadership and the unseen moments before action.

Interactive Gumball Machine


By Crystal Powell  2009
MiraCosta College Campus, Oceanside.

Interactive Art Installation

On the campus of Mira Costa College, Crystal invited students to engage in an interactive art installation, encouraging them to decorate recycled bottles and contribute them to a large, dynamic sculpture. 

Each contribution activated the release of gumballs, symbolizing a small reward for participation. This collaborative process transformed the students into co-creators of the artwork, as their individual creations became integral components of the larger sculpture. 

Through this piece, Crystal explored the concept of artistic recycling, illustrating how much of contemporary art is a reinterpretation or reimagining of pre-existing ideas.

Beauty arising from Shattered Losses


By Crystal Powell, Tessa Medearis, and John. 2010
Collaborative Instillation Art. Studio 2306, Oceanside.

Though each of us had experienced loss in different ways and to varying degrees, we were united by the shared understanding of how profoundly loss can shatter one’s sense of wholeness. Together, we explored this shared emotional landscape, using art as a medium for healing and connection.

For our project, we repurposed fragments of a broken windshield and a shattered glass door, meticulously stringing each piece onto clear wire. These delicate strands were then suspended from a trio of triangles—shapes chosen to symbolize our three voices in the project. The varying sizes of the triangles reflected the differing magnitudes of loss we had endured, creating a visual metaphor for our individual journeys.

The final creation was a stunning chandelier, its fractured glass refracting light in a kaleidoscope of brilliance with every movement. This work embodied the idea that even in brokenness, there is the potential for transformation and beauty. Through this project, we came to understand that while the pain of loss remains a part of us, it is possible to create something meaningful and beautiful from those fragments.

Steel Casting


Ball and Chain by Crystal Powell 2009
Advanced Sculpture project. MiraCosta College, Oceanside.

Ball and Chain 

Casting is the process of pouring a liquid material into a mold that holds the negative form of a desired shape. Once the material solidifies, the result, known as the casting, is carefully extracted from the mold. This technique is often employed to achieve intricate designs that would be nearly impossible through other methods.

For this project, I began by crafting a mold from foam and packing it tightly with dirt to form a solid casting box. Under the guidance of our instructor, Yoshi, molten steel was poured into the cavity left at the top of the mold. After cooling, the box was disassembled to reveal a raw and unrefined piece of art. Through hours of filing, sanding, and persistent effort, the rough casting was transformed into a gleaming, polished work of art.

At the time, I had a solo exhibition at the Blue Gate Gallery showcasing my Yellow Collection. I positioned my finished steel casting in front of the collection, as though it were attempting to crawl away. This placement symbolized my internal struggle to break free from the deeply conceptual and personal ties that bound me to the Yellow Collection. The collection, profoundly influenced by my relationship with my father, had become a wellspring of inspiration but also a heavy emotional anchor.

To emphasize this metaphor, I incorporated a gift-like element at the end of the steel casting, representing the collection as a "ball and chain" tethered to my artistic journey. Many pieces in the Yellow Collection were gifts from people who had supported—or in some cases, complicated—my relationship with my father. The casting became both a tribute to that connection and an expression of my yearning to move beyond it, signaling my desire to explore new facets of myself as an artist.

Raku Pots from Kiln to Trash Can


Advanced ceramics at MiraCosta College 2009

Raku Pots

Ceramic pieces being removed from the kiln while glowing hot and placed in trash cans filled with combustible materials. This process causes the glazed areas to have a metallic effects and the exposed clay areas to turn matte black.