About me
Shiloah Grace
I have had a love of art for as long as I can remember. In fact, I’m not quite convinced that there was, at some point, a pre-art Shiloah. Whether it was taking pottery classes at the park district or painting my favorite tree from the view through my living room window, the act of creating has always caused my heart to smile. This passion pushed me into pursuing a degree in painting. Though my focus was oil painting, I stumbled into theatre almost by accident. Once I did, I never turned back.I started to develop my skills as a scenic painter by taking on a more active leadership role with UIUC’s Illini Union Board musical productions, working in the scene shop at the Krannert Center of Performing Arts, enrolling in various theatre classes, and participating in scenic painting internships with Endstation Theatre Company and Lyric Repertory Company.
It didn’t take me long to realize that working on theatre productions made me come alive. It didn’t take the people around me long to notice either. When my best friend pointed out that I seemed my happiest right after I had been working in the paint shop, I knew that scenic painting was a career that I wanted to pursue seriously. Theatre combines some of my favorite parts of fine art (the act of creating, the opportunity for visual communication, and the myriad of both material and conceptual possibilities to name a few) with a community that both works together and pushes each other to grow and develop.
In light of these realizations, I decided to apply for Cobalt Studio’s two-year Scenic Painting Training Program. I was ecstatic to be accepted and graduated in May of 2019. After graduating I have been able to freelance, work summer stocks, and work full time across the United States. I am currently working as the Festival Scenic Charge for the Utah Shakespeare Festival and as the Scenic Art Director at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.
As I have grown as an artist, I have also grown as a leader. One of my favorite parts of being a paint charge is having the opportunity to mentor my crew not only on the skills of painting, but on the skills of being a healthy person in an inherently stress-filled environment. We focus on communication, integrity, emotional health, and understanding how to work on a team. Being able to share these lessons is one of the great joys of my life that I get to bring to each new job that I work.
You can share in my adventure by following me on Instagram @shiloahgrace and by looking through the photos of my latest work under the Scenic Art tab. You can also click here to download my resume.
If you are interested in purchasing anything you've seen on this site, commissioning an original work, or hiring a scenic artist you can use my contact page or email me at shiloahgrace9@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!