Artful Event:

All About Halloween This Year

Newtown United, Inc, which in the previous two years has hosted Artful Bra and Artful Bra & Boxer events as fundraisers for Ann’s Place/The Home of I Can, is planning its 2012 event.

“Newtown United ArtFULL — All About Halloween: Newtown’s Best Halloween Bash” will be Saturday, October 27, in The Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street. The event will run from 7 to 10 pm, and guests are being encouraged this year to dress in costume. Three secret judges will be in the room, looking for Best Original Design, Most Frightening and Most Fun costumes, with prizes to be awards.

Live models will be presenting this year’s auction items, to include a mix of decorated bras, hats, and masks. This year co-chairs Rosemary Rau, Marianne Scanlon and Marie Sturdevant are very excited about the latest addition to the event’s offerings: artfully decorated chairs to be auctioned.

“We had one arrive last week and you should see it,” Marie Studevant said this week. “It’s absolutely gorgeous. There was a lot of work put into this chair.

 “When it was delivered, we had one person look at it who immediately said ‘Ooh, that would look great in my house,’” she said.

Artists who have already committed to design an item for auction are Evelyn Evagash, Janmaria Jagush, Lisa Willvonseder-Greto, Grace Scharr McEnaney, Suzanne Molineaux, Adele Moros, Wendee Nussle, Robert Rabinowitz, Roberta Shea, and Amy Skillin. An invitation has again been extended to NHS Art Portfolio students.

Richard Coopersmith has agreed to return as this year’s auctioneer.

A Halloween Bazaar will offer decorations, novelties, costume gear, goodies, “and pumpkins of all manner and size,” said Mrs Rosemary Rau, who has been working in recent weeks to create what she calls Boo Boxes. Decorated black cardboard boxes, Boo Boxes are filled “with homemade cookies and/or Halloween treats, depending on what we decide for each box,” said Mrs Rau. “No two are ever the same.”

Boo Boxes were started seven years ago, when Mrs Rau coordinated efforts to send the decorated boxes with treats to children affected by Hurricane Katrina.

“They continue to be a great vehicle for people who just need a lift,” she said.

The vendor area will also help those whose costumes need final touches, with masks, hats and other costume items offered.

Boplicity will return with live jazz, as will guest vocalist Valerie Caraluzzi.

The emphasis on this year’s event will be art, of all forms, said Mrs Rau.

“ArtFULL covers all the entries and items we will offer that evening,” she said.

Guests will be treated to hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and drinks (hard and soft). Seating will be set up around the perimeter of the room instead of the table seating that filled most of the floor space last year.

Tickets are $25 per person, and can be ordered by calling Rosemary Rau (203-426-2226) or Marie Sturdevant (203-740-2733). Reservations are required; tickets will not be sold at the door.

Proceeds will again benefit Ann’s Place, and will also help local food pantries.