Greenport Movie Theater Shines With Student Artwork

GREENPORT, NY — Brightly colored student artwork fills the panels outside the Greenport movie theater during the off season — an idea born out of love for the community and for the children whose bright light shines at the theater all winter long.

Penelope Rudder, who conceived of the idea, recently finished hanging the newest student exhibition, "Peace and Love: Celebrating the Life and Teachings of Mahatma Gandhi," created by Greenport Union Free School District students.

The "beautiful, meaningful pieces" were created under the art direction of teacher Brady Wilkins, she said. The Shanti Fund worked with the school to inspire and sponsor this exhibit, she added.

"I received these as a lovely, timely tribute from the school and students to share with our community on Oct. 3, one day into the yearlong celebration of Gandhiji's 150th birthday; there are other yearlong activities planned from Oct. 2, 2018 to Oct. 2, 2019, she said.

"Many thanks to all the students, teachers, the Shanti Fund and especially to the Greenport Movie Theater, for another year, our fourth, to show the students' creative talents to the community. May peace and love hold you and yours," she wrote on social media.

Rudder said the idea to showcase student artwork came to her in the middle of the night, four years ago, when she thought "how much fun it would be to use the empty movie poster panels during the winter to show the village our childrens' talent and also to show each other that we have beautiful things going on, 'off-season.'"

Rudder asked the theater's owner, Josh Sapan, to ask if she could use the panels to display the artwork. "He gave me an instant 'yes!' and I have been gathering up art from the school every time they have something ready for me," she said. "Josh Sapan is a gem, so generous. I have loved working with him, as I have the school's art department."

As for Sapan, he's told Patch in past years that he loves giving back to the community. "The theater is a passion of mine and I love providing the theater at no cost to The Maritime Museum for their film showings, to the student film program at no charge for their film exhibition, and working with East End Arts," he said. "We have an artist exhibit of their work each summer. There have been superb photography exhibitions."

In recent years, for example, an exhibit by the "extraordinary photographer Andrea Tese, who has a place on the North Fork," was featured, he said.

Sapan, CEO of AMC Networks, said he's long had a love for movie theaters.

As a personal project of the heart, Sapan, on his own, purchased the Greenport Village Cinema in 2004.

The student art exhibits, Rudder said, "are always so expressive, meaningful and fun. This year's are going to be great and changed even more frequently than in the past."

The project is exciting and the students love seeing their work displayed. "Anything to make happy, positive, affirming connections — and it's especially important for the children to know, as a community, we are excited to see any time what creativity they are up to," Rudder said.

For year-round residents, the project is especially meaningful, a way to appreciate "all the great, happy things going on during the winter. I love it here then. Seeing the empty panels was just such an exciting opportunity. And, then, I thought of the children and showing them off. Just lots of fun," she said.

Patch photos by Penelope Rudder.