Dig It

It’s not always easy finding your way back into the Halloween spirit. You may need something to help you get there. If watching a scary movie or just plain trick-or-treating isn’t your bag of sweets, then head down to the now year-old 1975 Gallery and Surface Salon, host of the “Bump in the Night” art show. The exhibit features all local, all Halloween-themed art that’s only a pumpkin’s toss away from campus. And best of all, it’s free!

Now, if something really grabs you, everything you look at is for sale. (At least, the art is.) As with any gallery, there are a few paintings that might confuse you or inspire resentment. (“I could have painted that myself!”) But overall, while the selection is a little on the small side, it spotlights some superb work to get you in the Halloween mood. The pieces have evocative and intriguing names like “Zombie Kids on the Move,” “Bang, Bang, You Hit the Ground,” “Winter Abyss” and “Medusa is Defeated.”

One piece in particular that caught this writer’s attention was a painting by Amanda Clarke, “What’s That Behind The Mask?” The stark depiction was of an elementary school-aged youth holding a skull in her hands; a traditional calavera of Dia de los Muertos fame, no less. Like any well-executed artwork, it raises questions. Who is she? Where did she get that skull? What is she planning to do with it? And why is she smiling so evilly?

The Bump in the Night Gallery is worth a visit from anyone who wants a shot of concentrated Halloween, even (and especially) if you’re strapped for cash.

The “Bump in the Night” show will be running on October 30 from 11 a.m. — 7 p.m. and on Halloween from 10 a.m. — 7 p.m. at the 1975 Gallery and Surface Salon located at 658 South Ave. For more information, visit http://1975ish.com.