Charge Scenic Artist

Oregon-Shakespeare-Festival; Ashland (OR); On-site; USD 45,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, OR is seeking a seasoned Charge Scenic Artist to lead day-to-day scenic painting and finishing for OSF productions. This role blends exceptional craft with strong leadership, organization, and a passion for bringing designs to life.

You will oversee finishing of scenery and props, translate renderings into finishes, manage a scenic art team, develop paint schedules, and ensure projects meet artistic, budgetary, and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years of professional theatrical scene painting or scenic production experience.
• Ability to lift up to 45 lbs and work at height; willingness to load-ins.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills.
• Ability to translate scenic designs into finished work.

Responsibilities

• Oversee finishing of scenery and props; develop samples and techniques to realize each production’s design.
• Interpret renderings, models, photographs into clear work specifications in collaboration with designers and production teams.
• Hire, schedule, train, coach, and supervise scenic art staff; assign projects and monitor progress.
• Develop paint schedules and coordinate scenic art workflows with other production departments.
• Estimate project costs, track the scenic art budget, and support budgeting.
• Maintain tools, equipment, and safety practices in the shop.

Skills

Leadership

Team Collaboration

Communication

Problem-solving

Color theory

Design interpretation

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

AutoCAD

Job description

Description

Now Hiring: Charge Scenic Artist
Department: Scene Shop | Reports to: Technical Director
Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt (40 hours/week), Non-Union
Pay Rate: $38.95 hourly
Location: Ashland / Talent, OR

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is seeking an experienced and collaborative Charge Scenic Artist to lead the day-to-day scenic painting and finishing work for OSF productions. This role is ideal for an accomplished scenic artist who combines exceptional craft with strong leadership, organization, and a passion for bringing scenic designs to life.

The Role You’ll Play

As Charge Scenic Artist, you’ll oversee the finishing of scenery and props while collaborating closely with designers, production managers, and scenic staff. You’ll translate artistic concepts into achievable finishes, manage workflow and schedules, supervise and develop the scenic art team, and help ensure projects meet OSF’s artistic, budgetary, and safety standards.

What You’ll Do

Scenic Painting & Finishing: Paint, texture, carve, detail, and finish scenery and props while developing samples and techniques that realize each production’s design.

Creative Collaboration: Work with designers and production teams to interpret renderings, models, photographs, and other design information into clear work specifications.

Team Leadership: Hire, schedule, train, coach, and supervise scenic art staff while assigning projects and monitoring progress.

Scheduling & Workflow: Develop paint schedules and coordinate scenic art workflows with other production departments.

Budget & Materials: Estimate project costs, track the scenic art budget, purchase materials, and support annual budgeting.

Shop Operations & Safety: Maintain tools, equipment, and finishing plans while partnering with managers to promote safe and inclusive working practices.

You’ll Thrive Here If You…

Have at least 4 years of professional theatrical scene painting or scenic production experience.
Bring demonstrated expertise in scenic techniques such as texturing, trompe l’oeil, faux wood and marble, sculpting, lettering, aging, and distressing.
Are skilled at interpreting scenic designs and translating artistic concepts into finished work.
Have strong leadership, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Understand color theory and can confidently mix and match colors and finishes.

Preferred Qualifications

Proficiency with Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
Familiarity with AutoCAD or other drafting programs.
Experience carving, finishing, and painting foam.
Knowledge of basic scenery and prop construction.

Physical & Schedule Requirements

Ability to lift up to 45 lbs, climb ladders and scaffolding, squat and work in position while painting, and stand or walk for extended periods. The role may require fall-arrest harnesses, respirators, and personnel lifts. The standard schedule is Monday–Friday, with occasional evenings and weekends for load-ins, load-outs, and technical rehearsals.

Organizational Background

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) was founded in 1935 in Ashland, OR, and has grown from a three-day festival of two plays to a nationally renowned theatre arts organization that presents a rotating repertory season of up to 10 plays and musical, including illuminating interpretations of Shakespeare, other enduring classics, and new works. OSF productions have been presented on Broadway, internationally, and at regional, community, and high school theatres across the country. OSF received the 1983 Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre and is one of the largest nonprofit theatres in the nation with three stages, including an outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre.

Statement of Purpose

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival creates world-class theatre, revealing our collective humanity through illuminating interpretations of new and classic plays, and inspiring a love of our art form for current and future generations.

Company Values

• We are committed to working toward inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, creating a space of belonging for all audiences and employees—through concrete actions and systemic improvements.
• We nurture and support our artists, attracting and retaining diverse, innovative talent across the organization.
• We believe in the transformational power of collaborative artmaking and performance.
• We recognize the importance of responsible stewardship of resources and sustainable business, financial, and environmental practices.
• We serve the public good and engage with and respect our community of artists, audiences, staff, local citizens, patrons, donors, and the greater theatre community worldwide.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.