The Daniel & Trudy Regan Foundation will Host its Popular Artist Costume Ball This Weekend - Free

The Daniel & Trudy Regan Foundation will host the “Artist Costume Ball” at their grounds at 29 Woodland Road in New City, NY on Saturday, September 28th from 10:00 AM – 8 PM. Rain date will be, Saturday, October 5th. There is no charge to attend.

“The concept for the event grew out of our desire to assist artists in showcasing their talents after the pandemic during which time many felt isolated and much of their work had simply disappeared. We had over 700 people attend last year and we showcased the art of 80 artists who painted and adorned 150 mannequins,” stated Dan Regan, President of the Foundation.

Dan Regan purchased the mannequins three years ago from Modell’s and Lord & Taylor to be used by the artists to showcase their talents. He stated he was inspired by the painted cows that began popping up around cities and thought why not mannequins from bankrupt stores? He thought they were the perfect canvas for artists and a great way to give new life to these otherwise discarded displays. This year the Foundation also supplied artists with 48 x 60 canvases free of charge to paint for a separate mural competition.

The artists have been asked to decorate a mannequin in a style similar to what they will wear on the day of the event. In previous years artists used paint, metals, tiles, stained glass, LED lights and more to decorate the mannequins. The goal is for the artist and their mannequin to complement each other. There will be an artist costume parade with judges selecting the Best Costume along with several other categories. All prizes will be awarded at the event.

The following is a rundown of the activities that will take place on September 28th:

• 90 decorated and painted mannequins created by local artists
• 30 murals displayed and created by local artists
• Live dance performance by “Emotions Physical Theatre” curated by Shawn Rawls (1:00 PM)
• Live music by Country Folk Band led by Director Jeremy Regan (all day)
• 35-foot mural “House of Giving” created by Maria Taveras
• Presentation by artists Mark Lawrence and Gerald Collette
• Poetry reading and 3 dimensional collages by Bobby Chertok (2:00 PM)
• Antique display of “Toys from Around the World” by Richard Thomas
• Doll House display by Pamela Thomas
• Display of Modern Dyed Hairstyles Present and Future by Capri Beauty School in Nanuet (2:30)

“We are excited this year to feature the Nonprofit Dance Society of Nyack. The dancers will perform around the mannequins expressing how their craft interacts with the work of the other artists. We take great joy in showcasing what these various artists have been doing since the pandemic,” stated Regan.

Mark Lawrence, a leading tattoo artists, will display his new found talent of painting murals. Transitioning from tattooing to mural art, Lawrence now dedicates his time to painting and teaching, earning a living by sharing his skills with the next generation. He runs a unique program called 'Graffiti Art and Literacy,' where he inspires children to view letters and art in innovative ways. Reflecting on his work, Lawrence stated, “I teach them, and I kind of inspire them to see letters in a different way.” Through this meaningful outreach, Lawrence continues to expand his own artistic horizons while making a lasting impact on young minds.

None of the artwork will be sold at the event. Instead, the show is meant to highlight the varied talents of the participating artists to the hundreds who are expected to attend.

The Regans created their charitable foundation in 1990 and have worked with artists and organizations around the world. Trudy Regan was a collage artist and a partner in Living Art Seminars where they lectured 47 different programs on art and took children to museums to experience art firsthand. “The show is a wonderful way to celebrate art and Trudy’s contribution to the art world over her lifetime,” stated Dan Regan.