Calgary artist creates new Halloween exhibit with ‘more magic in it than blood’

There’s a new spooky spot for Calgarians to check out this Halloween. A veteran haunter is offering up a terror-free twist on tradition.

Local artist Patrick O’Neill is an old hand at creating décor for Calgary Halloween venues like “Screamfest” and “Field of Screams.”

Now O’Neill is moving away from that with an event called the “Spooky Studio.”

“This is a gallery show, these are art installations,” O’Neill said.

The various areas at the Spooky Studio contain Halloween-themed paintings and sculptures, without some of the standard seasonal scariness.

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“There aren’t any jump scares. No one’s chasing after you,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill has also invited other Calgary artists to display their work at the Spooky Studio.

Among them is Julianne Buchholz, who’s created a painting depicting a monster entering a room in which a woman is preparing to leave for a Halloween party.

“I was inspired by 1950s horror movie posters,” Buchholz said.

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The Spooky Studio is open Wednesdays through Sundays until Oct. 31 at the Nvrlnd Arts Foundation in the Ramsay neighbourhood in southeast Calgary, with more information available online.

“I’m blown away,” Nvrlnd co-founder Cory Nespor said. ”It is hands-down the biggest installation that’s ever been created in this space.”

O’Neill said the Spooky Studio provides a welcome change from the scarier experiences on offer at Halloween.

“I wanted to bring Halloween back to the witches and black cats. I wanted to put more magic in it than blood,” O’Neill said. “This is a show for families, for kiddos who might be a little nervous or for a date night – for people who want to take nice photos.”