Croton artist finds new space and new inspiration in Yonkers.
Richard Eagan has moved his studio to YOHO. But this Brooklyn refugee still comes home to Croton every night.
Richard Eagan in his new studio. (Photo by Michael Balter)
Richard Eagan, a veteran artist and actor who left Brooklyn a number of years ago and moved to Croton, made another artistic move earlier this year: To YOHO in Yonkers, a huge, five story complex that once housed the historic Alexander Smith Carpet Mills.
This community of artists, says their Website, “runs the gamut from traditional art studio practices to other maker activities, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, furniture and piano restoration, collage, beauty, set design, quilting, assemblage, music, woodworking, fashion, guitar making, printing, glasswork, textiles, filmmaking, jewelry, graphic design, digital multimedia, shoe design, tattooing, and creative manufacturing.”
We caught up with Eagan during this weekend’s 21st Annual YOHO Artistic Open Studio. After some tricky negotiation of multiple stairways, we found his studio up on the fourth floor, where he is creating new works with the theme “The disruption of the complacent.”
And for a very brief time, a small space across the hall from Eagan’s studio is featuring the work of some other Croton artists, including Lauren Davis, whom we profiled last year. We say briefly, because Eagan will have to move out of that additional space early this coming week, so unfortunately if you have not already been there to see that mini-show it is probably too late.
Eagan has a long and colorful history, including as co-founder of the Coney Island Hysterical Society, which he established in 1981 with artist Philomena Marano. The Society launched “the first wave of artists and performers seeking to preserve and build on the traditions of Coney Island's historic amusement area,” according to its Web site. Eagan’s work has also been exhibited at the Croton River Artisans Gallery.
We hope to have updates on Eagan’s work from time to time, since disrupting the complacent is something the Chronicle itself often aims to do.
Meanwhile, at the Hudson River Museum…
While we were in the area we also stopped off at the Hudson River Museum, where local photographer Joseph Squillante currently has a stunning exhibit on the main floor. The exhibit runs through October 19, 2025. On June 21, Squillante will give an Artist Talk at the museum.
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