Sean Hennessey is an accomplished painter and sculptor. He established Scenic Artisans LLC in 2004, following a ten-year career in the theater.
As a sculptor and painter, Sean’s work has been integral to props and scenery in many theatre productions. Between 1997 and 2004, Sean was responsible for all painting and sculpting of stage props and set decoration at the internationally renowned Shakespeare Theatre in Washington DC. His work has been part of Helen Hayes Award winning productions. Sean has also contributed to projects at other arts and theater venues, such as the Kennedy Center, the Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Arena Stage, Smithsonian Folk Life Festival, and the Smithsonian Institute.
Sean is active in the fine arts community in Washington DC, exhibiting at two of the Art-O-Matic exhibitions, at the Touchstone Gallery, and Signal 66. Sean also teaches sculpture and mold making at the Washington Glass School.
Prior to joining the Shakespeare Theater, Sean developed his faux painting skills while employed as a scenic artist and carpenter at our nation’s second oldest theatre, the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia.
Sean studied faux finishing techniques under the expert instruction of Martin Alan Hirsch of the Faux Finish School in Louisville, Kentucky. He also attended Berea College and received a degree in fine art. Sean’s work has been featured in the Washington Post, Stage Direction Magazine and on HGTV’s I Want That and Small Spaces, Big Style.
He lives with his wife, graphic designer and illustrator Rania Hassan in Bloomingdale, a neighborhood of NW Washington DC.
