Our story starts with Underhill Haunted House….a scrappy theatrical fundraiser based in the 40,000 square foot basement of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, OR. It was there our team assembled in true haunter fashion.

by complete and random chance….

We found some of us kept staying later and later…. working on sets and props, and talking more and more….and the next thing you knew we were plotting to takeover the world.

Not really, but I think you know what we mean.

And so Cool Scary Stuff, LLC slightly changed from a company that builds and supplies haunted attractions, to one that also makes props and costumes and ghoulie goodies and much much more. Well, things that we think are cool scary stuff!

Here’s a little more about our team

Christina Kortum - CK has been working in the haunt industry for over 30 year as an owner, actor, production designer, and makeup artist (sometimes all at the same time, much to her chagrin). Her day job is being owner of Ravenous Studios, a full service fx studio supplying special effects makeup and props for the film and TV industry since 2009. You may have seen her work on such shows as Grimm, Portlandia, The Librarians, Leverage to name a few. She accidentally was pulled into the haunt industry by attending a haunted attraction one night still wearing her Halloween costume after the office party. She found herself being yelled at to “go back to her room” by security . After security interrogated her, they realized their mistake and suggested she come back the next night to actually be a cast member. So it began….

Jeff Gardner - Jeff Gardner was raised in a small farming community. Some might say his home town was the inspiration for Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes, While still others say things like, “no one says that, Jeff. They’re just ordinary rednecks.” Who’s to say where the truth lies? In spite of the rampant cannibalism and incest around him, Jeff was lucky to have been brought up around theater-folk and artists so he could develop a life-long passion for the arts, theater, and all things horror.

Jeff has pursued his passion through performance and scenic design work for theaters across the West Coast, and continues to find new and exciting ways to scratch his artistic itch.

Jeff’s artistic passions include: performance, scenic design, woodworking, screen printing, puppetry, photography, graphic design, prop making, welding, and gift wrapping.

Brooke Learmouth - Brooke Learmouth is a multidisciplinary artist whose diverse body of work spans sculpture, drawing, painting, set design, costume fabrication, and floristry. With a passion for blending artistic disciplines, she creates immersive and tactile experiences that challenge conventional boundaries. Her work is deeply influenced by nature, historical art movements, and the repurposing of materials, allowing her to breathe new life into forgotten objects. Through her unique fusion of horror and beauty, Brooke transforms the macabre into something poetic, inviting viewers to explore the delicate balance between decay and renewal.

Born and raised in Orange, CA, Brooke's artistic path has been shaped by both personal challenges and creative exploration. A pivotal moment in her journey came after a life-altering hospitalization due to Crohn’s disease, which forced her to reevaluate her relationship with both art and healing. In search of a space for restoration and self-expression, she relocated to Portland, OR, where she continued her passion for water polo while fully immersing herself in her artistic practice. Brooke’s formal training at Portland State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, provided her with a strong foundation in both traditional and contemporary art techniques.