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Amy Park’s mural design for Shadowland Stages in Ellenville was inspired by theatrical lighting.
Shadowland Stages has contributed to Ellenville’s cultural scene since 1985. But what most theatergoers didn’t know is that Shadowland comprises a three-building campus. Now, after the completion of an expansive mural project designed by artist Amy Park, it’s impossible to overlook.
The murals cover all the exterior walls of the Shadowland campus, totaling over 15,000 square feet. The project started when the Shadowland board of directors approached Park, who owns an art studio in Ellenville with her partner, sculptor Paul Villinski. The goal was to unify the entire campus, which consists of three buildings with different architectural styles: a 1920s Art Deco vaudeville theater, a Mid-Century Modern former department store, and a renovated auto parts store.
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Monticello muralist Josh Deitchman initiated the Shadowland mural painting from September to October, with Ellenville painter Sheryl Richmond completing it in November
Park had used architectural facades as the subject for her paintings for 25 years, and she was excited by the opportunity to do something on a large scale. To make the mural designs, she photographed all the walls to be painted, created drawings of the photographs, and then made photocopies of the drawings. “They were like coloring book pages,” says Park. “I’d print out 20, or even 50 copies of each wall, and I would just sit and make watercolor designs on each one.” Ultimately, she settled on cone-shaped geometric patterns in white and several shades of blue, based on abstractions of theater lights illuminating a stage.
Park’s designs were finalized in the summer, and, with funding from an anonymous donor, the actual painting began. Monticello muralist Josh Deitchman initiated the painting from September to October, with Ellenville painter Sheryl Richmond completing it in November. To ensure longevity, the murals are covered in an anti-graffiti coating, which shields it from UV damage and facilitates easy cleaning.
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While the project unifies the buildings, Park notes that each wall has a distinctive design, tailored to its overall dimensions, style, and placement on the village block. “One of the things that’s really fun about it is that when walking around, it becomes really interactive, almost like being in a collage,” says Park. “It’s always moving and always a little bit different.”
Reflecting on the murals, Shadowland board president Jim McIntyre notes, “Originally, we just wanted a theme, or something that would tie everything together. We didn’t envision Shadowland becoming a work of art in its own right.”