The Painted Village

This is a story about grit, determination, and color. Lots and lots of color. How do you save a dying mountain village? By painting the town red - and blue and purple and green - and every color in between… Young Max and Dylan narrate their Grandma Lola’s triumphant quest to transform the forgotten village of Tannersville, New York, into a place that’s vibrant and alive. She used wild colors and playful designs on the exterior walls and shutters of her own house, hidden in the woods near the village. People drove from miles around to see it and leave their thoughts in the visitors’ book. One comment read: “I want one!” “ AHA!” she thought, “let’s paint all the buildings in town like our house!” “Ask the building owners first”, said the mayor. One call to the local art teacher and a large army of young reinforcements arrived immediately. They painted rocks and trashcans as work commenced on the exterior walls of the Pharmacy, Cheese Shop, Mexican restaurant, and other businesses along Main Street. The New York Times caught wind of it and NBC’s Today Show came to town. A sad broken village bloomed again as “help wanted” signs appeared in windows for the first time in decades. Tourists arrived in droves and this tiny spot in New York’s Northern Catskill Mountains blossomed and shone with new energy and loads of great expectations. This story is living proof of an old adage: where there’s a will there’s a way. The Painted Village reminds us all to use what we have, right where we are, to make our world a better place. About the Author Born in South Africa, Elena emigrated to the United States with her husband Mark where she worked for Newhouse Newspapers. She left to raise her boys and freelance, later opening three clothing boutiques and an art gallery. In 2002, she conceived of the Tannersville project and saved an American town using just her artist’s eye, her big heart, some brushes, and paint.