After a 30-year hiatus from the Shreveport art scene, native Drew Edward Hunter, aka “Dr. Blood,” returned to town last month for the opening of two Shreveport Regional Art Council exhibitions: “Library Macabre: A Vision of Literary Fright” and his solo exhibition, “Spectrum.”

Working with a team of local artists, Hunter curated and co-created the “Library Macabre” exhibit, transforming artspace into a multi-faceted 3-D horror exhibition based on classic and modern literary tales.

Local artists who joined Hunter’s “scream team” and helped create themed sections of the exhibition were: Mimi Webb, “Interview with the Vampire”; John Gillespie, “Phantom of the Opera”; Jason Pliler, “Case of Charles Dexter Ward”; Emily Daye, “Mast of the Red Death”; Su Stella, “Dracula”: Rena Brittenham, “Cask of Amontillado”; Donald Webb “It”; and Chuck Loridans, “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”

Richard Salkin and Tracy Chappell composed original music for the exhibit entitled, “Rhapsody in Blood.”

In his solo exhibition, “Spectrum,” Hunter explores multiple forms of expression in a way that offers viewers a full spectrum of color, design, storytelling, time and imagination. And while there is no distinct theme to the exhibit, he said the subtitle, “Colors & Concepts,” links all the works together.

“It is a spectrum of ideas and stories and textures and moods,” Hunter said. “Most of the works are acrylic paintings with a few exceptions of mixed media, gouache and pen and ink. My inspiration was to create as wide ranging a show of colors and concepts as possible. The overall message is creativity. “ Some of the pieces date as early as 1970 while the latest were done this summer.

“My goal is that each viewer will experience more than a mere visual impact,” Hunter said.

“Each piece suggests a history – a story – an experience. The viewer may be inspired to create their own interpretation, but often I supply my own backstory to enhance the visual element.”

Hunter, a Centenary College graduate and a fixture on the Shreveport theater scene during the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, is perhaps best known locally for creating the “Dr. Blood” character.

As president of the Gas Light Players in 1975, the company was under contract to stage a show during the State Fair. But after a few years of disappointing attendance of the company’s melodramatic plays, Hunter suggested that the company liven things up by staging a highly theatrical haunted experience.

“I figured we needed a focus for the show – someone to talk to the media and be a unifying element – and created a host character,” Hunter said. “I named him Dr. Blood. On opening day, our very first tour raced out screaming – as did the second tour. The third tour raced out screaming and tore down the show exit.

We had to close for a few hours to rebuild it. Each year in the final scene of the show we had a special scare, always accompanied by Dr. Blood’s Fear Buzzer. If you had heard that sound, you’d have run out screaming too.”

Hunter carried Dr. Blood with him when he moved to Dallas in 1985 where he worked as creative director of the Grand Prairie wax museum. There, among other things, he produced the annual Halloween haunted house event, which was hosted by

Dr. Blood. The good doctor went on to host Six Flags Over Texas Fright Fest and his own Dallas haunted attraction, “Dr. Blood’s Screamscapes.”

When Hunter took a position as vice president of Creative Design at Sally Corporation in Jacksonville, Fla., he figured the diabolical doctor had experienced a respectable run and needed a good rest. “I never buried him, but instead, he was put on ice,” he said.

Hunter brought Dr. Blood back to life for the special occasion of promoting the current SRAC exhibits.

Although Hunter has no plans to take “Spectrum” on the road, he does hope to participate in more exhibitions. “I’ve only become really serious about painting over the past two years so I need and want to keep it up and see where that takes me.”

WANT TO GO?

View “Library Macabre” through Oct. 31 and “Spectrum” through Oct. 18 at artspace. Admission is free. SRAC will also host the Halloween fundraiser bash, “The Plot Thickens: A Spine- Tingling Artscare” on Oct. 24. Tickets are $30. For more information, go to www.artspaceshreveport.com.