By Rebecca Nowalski, Special Writer
On North Union Street in Lambertville, there is a holiday house display that is so amazing, it slowed Sunday’s Halloween parade traffic to a crawl. Many participants and onlookers stopped en route to gaze and take photos of Dolores Dragan’s incredible work of art.
A retired art teacher from the Lambertville School District, Ms. Dragan started her annual display in 1998, inspired by a conceptual black-light theater production that she co-founded, entitled "String of Pearls."
With new pieces added every year, the display currently has about 60 black-and-white, Tim Burton-esque character creatures, which flank the front porch and yard of her home.
Ranging in all different shapes and sizes, her handcrafted sculptures vary in age from infant to elderly, and also include mythical creatures and animals.
Each one is constructed from a sturdy plaster gauze material called rigid wrap, and finished with a phosphorescent sealant to make the creations glow in the dark.
She says that the characters are representations of people that she has known throughout her life. Although they may not physically look like those people, Ms. Dragan tries to "capture the essence of that individual" in each piece of work.
Her display has appeared in numerous publications, as well as featured on TLC’s Four Houses episode, "Tricks and Treats."
Why do it? Ms. Dragan said she wants to "give children something memorable and spectacular to see on Halloween. "
And she certainly has done just that.

