Pleasurable Fright

The truth is, nothing is ever as scary as the stuff that scared mini-you: like when the shadows cast by your nightlight were enough to keep you awake in terror; when you were sure your grandmother’s basement was the dungeon lair of some horrible creature; when you made yourself stay...

By Rebecca McBane

September 30, 2010

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The truth is, nothing is ever as scary as the stuff that scared mini-you: like when the shadows cast by your nightlight were enough to keep you awake in terror; when you were sure your grandmother’s basement was the dungeon lair of some horrible creature; when you made yourself stay awake all night because you knew your toys came to life. That damn talking Heather doll was just waiting for you to relax your guard so she could lead the rest of the toys in a midnight attack against you — OK, maybe that one was just me. But such is the inspiration behind “Monsters Under My Bed: Childhood Fears Group Art Mega-Show” at Bear & Bird Gallery.

The gallery owner and new mom Amanda Magnetta was inspired to put a new twist on this annual local artist show. “It is my hope that the artists actually delve into what scared them as a child,” Magnetta says. Running from Saturday, October 2, to November 13, the show features more than 200 local artists laying their childhood fears bare for your enjoyment. The gallery is located upstairs inside Tate’s Comics, 4566 N. University Drive, in Lauderhill. Admission is free and gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Call 954-748-0181 or visit tatescomics.com/bearandbird.
Mondays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.; Sundays, noon. Starts: Oct. 2. Continues through Nov. 13, 2010

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Rebecca McBane is the arts and culture/food editor for New Times Broward-Palm Beach. She began her journalism career at the Sun Sentinel's community newspaper offshoot, Forum Publishing Group, where she worked as the editorial assistant and wrote monthly features as well as the weekly library and literature column, "Shelf Life." After a brief stint bumming around London's East End (for no conceivable reason, according to her poor mother), she returned to real life and South Florida to start at New Times as the editorial assistant in 2009. A native Floridian, Rebecca avoids the sun and beach at all costs and can most often be found in a well-air-conditioned space with the glow of a laptop on her face.

Contact: Rebecca McBane

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Twitter: @rebeccamcbane