Preserving a Legacy Preserving a Legacy is a feature published in the January/February 2018 issue of Perspective: The Journal of the Art Directors Guild. Written by Thomas Walsh and Karen Maness, the article documents the creation of the Backdrop Recovery Project and the effort to preserve historic Hollywood backdrops for More »
Published in the Los Angeles Times, “Preserving Films’ Illusions” follows the Art Directors Guild Backdrop Recovery Project and its mission to preserve Hollywood’s painted scenic backdrops. Journalist Mary McNamara interviews production designer Thomas A. Walsh, scenic artist and educator Karen Maness, and J.C. Backings president Lynne Coakley. Together, they explain More »
About the Documentary Watch Setting the Scene, a documentary produced by Alcalde Docs for the Texas Exes. The film explores the history, artistry, and preservation of the Hollywood Backdrop Collection at The University of Texas at Austin. Through interviews with faculty, students, and museum professionals, the documentary introduces the collection More »
About the Article Read O, The Oprah Magazine’s “You Do WHAT?” feature highlighting the Hollywood Backdrop Collection and the work of the Backdrop Recovery Project. The article introduces readers to the often-overlooked world of Hollywood scenic artists. It also explains how their monumental painted backdrops created unforgettable scenes in classic More »
About the Video Watch a behind-the-scenes tour of Art of the Hollywood Backdrop: Cinema’s Creative Legacy at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. The video features exhibition co-curators Karen Maness and Thomas A. Walsh as they guide viewers through the world-premiere exhibition, discussing the history, artistry, and preservation of Hollywood More »