For the commissioned cover of Queer for Fear: Horror Film and the Queer Spectator, Amie riffed off Herman Henstenburgh’s (Dutch, 1667–1726) public domain painting Vanitas Still Life, which is part of the Memento Mori art tradition that represents death and the beauty of our fragile life.

To visualize the concepts of queerness, horror, and film, Amie integrated flowers that have meaning to and representation for the queer community around a skull on a classic red velvet movie theatre seat.

Violets were included as a longtime symbol of sapphic / lesbian love.

Green carnations have long been a visual identifier for gay men, a signifier started by our gay elder Oscar Wilde.

Pansies represent the history of queer resilience and reclamation. Lavender is a symbol of queer resistance.

And roses are for our beautiful trans siblings.

The snuffed-out candle stands in for all of our queer elders and trans siblings who we have lost to violence, neglect, and illness. A spilled popcorn bucket shows raucous queer joy—the chaos and revelry that happens when queer people come together.