Costume shops are popping up all over town, movie theaters have started playing horror flicks to get people in the mood for Halloween, and a new art gallery in Ogden will fit right in.
The Pandemonium Art Gallery has opened up on Historic 25th Street and features artwork with more of a “creepy” and “freaky” vibe, as owner and operator Jane Font describes it.
Font decided to open up the “edgy” art gallery on Aug. 17 of this year for a couple of reasons. The first is that, as an avid art fan, she couldn’t find any galleries that had the type of contemporary and “outside-of-the-box,” horror-type art she was into, such as the three different paintings of Frankenstein’s monster displayed right by the door.
Up until now, the local art galleries featured traditional, textbook-type art, so Font said she thought something different would be a welcome change.
Another reason is that she has a passion for art and wanted to be able to fit it into her life. She said she’d rather work at something she loved and at a place where she could showcase her own jewelry.
These reasons were the motivation that kept her going, because in just under three months, Font was ready for her grand opening.
Pandemonium is showcasing about 21 artists from Weber County, some from the art department at Weber State University, and a few artists from out of state. However, Font said she really wants to focus on local artists who may not have a place to display nontraditional artwork. She had an artist come in to show her some paintings, and was surprised at her initial reaction.
“I took one look and I told her that I didn’t like it, so she asked me why, and I told her, ‘Because it’s creepy and the eyes in the painting look like they’re following you,’” Font said.
After considering the effect the painting had on her, she changed her mind. “It’s pretty spooky, but actually, I love it, and now it’s one of my favorite pieces!”
Font said she would like to work with artists from the WSU Art Department because she thinks the new art coming from there is more “contemporary” and different.
WSU Art Department chair Matt Choberka said he is excited to hear of new exhibition possibilities for student artists.
“I’m really glad to hear about this,” he said. “It’s an exciting time in downtown Ogden to see a number of new gallery ventures. That’s exciting for us, because we’re really about our students recognizing that they have to get out there in the world and exhibit their art.”
One such artist is WSU junior Taren Devereux, who is majoring in fine art with a 3-D design emphasis.
“I found out about Pandemonium through Facebook,” Devereux said. “I went in while they were still in construction and found out that Jane was interested in obtaining industrial-type metal pieces.”
After seeing the “uniqueness” of Devereux’s sculptures, Font decided to add them to her gallery. Pandemonium is showcasing three of Devereux’s metal-art sculptures and an abstract painting.
The pieces cost anywhere from $8 to $5,000, so there’s a large range of items for any pocketbook.
“I wanted to keep it so that anyone can find something they want and can afford,” Font said.
The gallery features more than 100 different items, including jewelry, paintings, sculptures and even some dolls, all with a touch of the Halloween spirit.
