From trick or treating, haunted trails, parades, festivals and pumpkin carving, there’s always so much to do on the North Shore around Halloween. Over in Huntington, the Huntington Arts Council is playing host to a spooky art show that is perfect for the season.
Celebrating its 10th year, the popular juried student exhibit Nightmare on Main Street featuring 55 works of art opens at the HAC’s Main Street Gallery on Oct. 22.
This year’s juror, Sueey Gutierrez, invited students in grades 6 to 12 to submit work inspired by the theme of Halloween. “Halloween is a celebration observed in many countries. For some, it is a time, or reflection for remembering loved ones that have passed. For others it is a celebration of life. Many experience Halloween mainly with candy, costumes and spooky decorations. It all depends on your cultural background. … Show us how you celebrate Halloween and what it means to you, your family or your friends,” she asked of the artists.
All mediums were accepted, including drawing, painting, photography and sculpture.
“It was challenging selecting works for this show since there were so many great entries. There was a lot of variety in the work from digital, photography, sculpture and traditional media as well as different skill sets. But the pieces that were selected for this exhibition conveyed strong emotions and how they connect to Halloween; from cultural, whimsical, and visceral imagery,” said Gutierrez.
“The point is to make the audience connect with the work, to grab their attention so that they may form their own opinions,” she added.
“Our 10th annual Nightmare on Main Street exhibition continues to inspire students throughout Long Island to interpret the meaning of Halloween and how they chose to create their artistic representation of the theme. With 89 submissions, from 19 school districts, the 55 pieces accepted for the show reflect the abundance of talent, creativity and skill in these young adults, and that is exciting to see,” said Marc Courtade, Executive Director of Huntington Arts Council.
“For many of these students, Nightmare on Main Street is their first opportunity to participate in a gallery exhibition. Huntington Arts Council is proud to be able to support young artists in the community, and encourage their creativity through our exhibition program. All are welcome to come to our Main Street Gallery and view this unique show!” said Courtade.
The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery, 213 Main Street, Huntington presents Nightmare On Main Street from Oct. 22 to Nov. 13. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and some weekends with limited capacity, social distancing and face coverings required at all times. Please call 631-271-8423 in advance. For more information, visit www.huntingtonarts.org.
