Auction To Feature Painting Of Amphitheater

In late summer of 2021, artist Lisa Madenspacher was contacted by the Long's Park Amphitheater Foundation to create a painting to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the amphitheater, which has been home to the Long's Park Amphitheater Summer Music Series since 1962.

Madenspacher reacted positively to the request. "I was delighted to be asked," recalled Madenspacher, who devoted much time that fall to completing the painting, which she presented to the foundation in January.

In celebration of the organization's anniversary, a gala and art auction will be held on Friday, Sept. 30, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at The Trust Performing Arts Center, 37 N. Market St., Lancaster. A highlight of the auction will be the sale of Madenspacher's rendition of the amphitheater during the annual July 4 concert, which features fireworks.

Madenspacher initially approached the project by visiting the park and taking photos of the amphitheater. Although impressed with the architecture, she struggled to get a photo that pleased her. "I spent about three hours in that park and took a million pictures," recalled Madenspacher. "Then I went around to the other side, the angle that you see in the painting, and suddenly it looked sleek and cool."

Madenspacher went to work re-creating the image with her own hand. "I did several initial sketches and watercolors trying to come up with an idea," she said, noting that she originally focused on the band and the music. "It just wasn't working." Madenspacher talked to her daughter, artist Adrienne Judge, known for her 3-D creations featuring flowers. "I asked my daughter, whose opinion I have come to trust, and she suggested that I focus on the crowd," said Madenspacher. "I took it from that standpoint and once I did, the focus became the amphitheater with the crowd surrounding it." From there, Madenspacher added personalities to the members of the crowd. "It was great fun," she said.

Choosing the July 4 setting was something Madenspacher called a "no-brainer." "That's the peak of the season," she said. "It's festive." Adding that she knew the evening setting with the fireworks and flag would bring the painting to life, she stated, "I wanted something eye-catching and hopefully breathtaking, so I incorporated the nighttime fireworks."

Madenspacher estimates she spent about 60 hours on the painting, noting that she worked on it between other projects. "That's the way I work, particularly when it's (a) conceptual (work)," she explained. "You block it in, and then you make some changes. You refine it, and step away for a week or two and see what it needs and then go back." Madenspacher believes this method enhances the creative process. "You go back to it with a different perspective, and it helps tremendously," she said.

Readers who would like more information about the Long's Park Amphitheater Association or the gala may visit http://www.longspark.org.