The Bogeyman Art Show tells tales tonight at the MacSpa

"Birth of the Bogeyman."

As a curator, artist Eric Matelski likes to have fun. And he likes to put affordable art up on the wall and plan a party around it. Add to that a seasonal tie-in, and you've got the second annual Bogeyman Art Show, a group exhibit that's both fun and a little deep, because it asks us to explore the underlying legends and stories that drive us during the spooking hour.

See also:
- Bogeyman Art Show spooks around this October at Eric Matelski's MacSpa gallery
- Tonight: Ouija boards, on and off the wall, at the MacSpa

The show opens tonight at the MacSpa with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m., complete with tricks, treats and vintage Halloween cartoons, as well as a $5 haunted LoDo walking tour led by local vampire-mystery author/artist Mario Acevedo, beginning at 8 p.m.

But if you can't make it tonight, there'll be another chance to party with Matelski and friends at the MacSpa from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 20, during pre-downtown Zombie Crawl festivities. Maybe you'll be inspired. Visit the MacSpa online for details.

As part of the exhibit, Matelski asked the artists to document the storys/myths/old wives' tales behind the images, and brochures will be available at the receptions. A few of the tall tales and artworks follow.

Chris Schranck

"Energy of the Dead" by Chris Schranck

At my art studio I have three rooms.  One is mine and the other two I rent to other artists.  The smallest of the rooms, which is the one I am always trying to rent, has a closet  door that opens on its own. When it does, things happen: lights shudder, things fall off the counter, and all kinds of noises happen from soft to loud. I do art work at night, so one night I come into the studio to paint.  I turn on the lights, I look into the small room as I pass to go to my room, the closet door is closed. Then all of a sudden I feel a very negative, evil energy  that seems to surround me. I see a flash. Out from nowhere a cabinet door slams into my head, knocking me so hard that my feet fly from underneath me and sends me across the floor.  I land in front of the small room.  I look up from my daze to see the closet door is open.   That closet door now remains locked, I still paint as I always have, but with a new found respect.  The painting I did about this experience is about that negative, evil energy that surrounded me that night.