Art in the shadows: San Carlos artist enlivens Redwood City with serendipitous paintwork

“The shadow art has allowed me to bring out a more whimsical side with my art and allows me to play with shadows,” said Belanger. “It was surprising when I got notified that they had chose me because I suspected that they had gotten a lot of great portfolios sent in so I wasn’t sure what I was up against.”

The Redwood City Improvement Association donated $30,000 to the city and partnered with Redwood City Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation and the Partnership Redwood City Program to bring more creativity to downtown.

“There’s plenty of artistic people in Redwood City, but they don’t always have the funding to do the things they want to do,” said Eric Lochtefeld, president of the RCIA. “We’d like to be a constant source of funding for the arts community in downtown Redwood City.”

Chris Beth, director of Redwood City Parks, and Stephanie Kolkka, owner of Brick Monkey, were the designated leaders of this project and made the final decision of the chosen artist. Out of the many portfolios sent in, Belanger seemed like the best fit for their vision. The idea of shadow art brought a mischievous and playful vibe to people’s everyday stroll downtown.

“We see public art as a means for vibrancy or defining cultural uniqueness even supporting economic development,” said Beth. “I think there’s really an improvement in quality of life when there’s really good public art.”

The installment has a total of 20 pieces spread out all over downtown ranging from the Caltrain station to the San Mateo County History Museum. The artwork has caused many people to do a double take because at first glance the shadows seem to blend in well with everyday life. Beth recalled seeing a father and daughter walking down the street and while the father didn’t notice anything, the daughter spotted the flower shadows on the sidewalk.

Sheryl Monroe, a Redwood City resident, found herself making a U-turn after seeing something out of the ordinary on her walk down the street. She was pleasantly surprised to see the artwork.

“It’s really wonderful and serendipitous,” Monroe said. “This is a good way for parents to explore with their children and even go on a treasure hunt.”

The shadow art installment is not Belanger’s only project with the city. There are plans in progress to create an interactive mural in which people can take photos and become a part of the mural. The design is still being planned out, but will probably be put in motion later during the year. The location of the perfect wall is still being searched for as well.

Belanger has steadily made his way around downtown with the help of his friends and committee members as he helps people become more aware of their surroundings searching for hidden shadows.

“The shadows give regular mundane objects a lively spirit so people can have a little fun in their everyday life,” Belanger said.