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Falls Church’s new Paragon Theaters Founders Row has turned part of its lobby into a showcase for local artist Michael Lindsay, unveiling his commissioned painting “Story in Blue” on Saturday, July 26.

The 48-by-72-inch poured acrylic work now hangs prominently inside the seven-screen, 600-seat cinema at 112 Founders Avenue. Its sweeping blue and orange forms were designed to bring movement and joy to the space while inviting each viewer to find a personal meaning in the composition.

Lindsay, a Northern Virginia artist who is autistic and has epilepsy, has described blue as the most beautiful color because of its connection to water, sky and bluebells. The theater’s description of “Story in Blue” calls it an exploration of emotion, memory and imagination, with organic shapes and dynamic patterns flowing across the canvas.

Paragon owners Michael Whalen and Michael Wilson commissioned the piece after learning that Lindsay had won the People’s Choice Award for “Full Circle in Blue” at Falls Church Arts’ “Full Circles” exhibition in February.

Whalen said the theater wanted local art for its otherwise sparse lobby and considered Lindsay an artist whose work deserved to greet everyone entering the building.

“This is Michael’s experience, the artwork, and everyone who sees it has their own movie experience,” Whalen said during the unveiling. He said he hoped visitors would be inspired by Lindsay’s talent and interpret the work through their own experiences.

Lindsay created the painting with guidance from his mentor and art teacher, Randa LoGerfo. They reviewed a photograph of the lobby, discussed the requested white background and selected colors and emotions suited to the setting.

LoGerfo said the finished piece reflects Lindsay’s comfort with blue while also incorporating bold shapes and other strong colors. Lindsay liked every part of the painting and was proud of it, she said, though his humility and sensitivity to noise led him to request a small, private unveiling.

Lindsay’s mother, Debra Lindsay, said her son sees a stream and happiness in the abstract work. She also noticed a connection between its orange-red accents and his enthusiasm for Disney’s “Cars,” including Lightning McQueen and Radiator Springs.

The energetic composition is particularly fitting for a movie theater, she said, adding that the installation makes the lobby feel more like an art gallery.

A quieter way to see a blockbuster

After the ceremony, Paragon offered invited families a free sensory-friendly screening of “F1,” the Formula One racing film starring Brad Pitt.

The theater regularly provides free Saturday screenings for neurodivergent moviegoers and their families. Whalen said the program is intended to ensure that people are not excluded from the moviegoing experience because of noise, overstimulation or other sensory needs.

During these screenings, the house lights remain brighter and the volume is lowered. Guests are also free to leave their seats, move around the auditorium or watch from a different location.

Paragon summarizes the approach with the phrase: “Lights On, Sound Down, Free to Move Around.”

The screenings take place in one of the cinema’s smaller auditoriums to reduce the potential for sensory overload. Plush reclining seats add comfort, while heated seating in the Lux Boxes gives families or friends a more private pod.

Whalen said the sensory-friendly movies are offered once a month on Saturday mornings. He and Wilson also hope to support additional charitable work and fundraising in Falls Church, building on projects they have backed elsewhere.

Debra Lindsay called the theater’s approach unusual and meaningful. She said commissioning her son’s work and creating a setting designed to welcome people with different needs could change his life while also making the cinema more comfortable for a wider community.

Beth Sutton, a healthcare provider whose neurodivergent son Luke attended the event wearing sound-canceling headphones, said more sensory-friendly spaces are desperately needed. Many children cannot participate in family trips to the movies because the combination of sound, light and other stimulation can become overwhelming, she said.

Sutton also owns one of Lindsay’s paintings, a work depicting a Catholic site important to her. She said patients regularly ask about the piece and find meaning in both its subject and the story of the artist who created it.

A new community gathering place

Donna Budway, director of partnerships and advocacy for the local nonprofit Our Stomping Ground, said her organization had been searching for an inclusive theater where members could connect.

The nonprofit works to strengthen neighborhoods through programming, affordable and sustainable housing, and social spaces for people of all abilities. Its community includes spellers who primarily communicate through spelling and people whose speech is not consistently reliable.

Budway said the organization’s network has grown to nearly 1,000 people, including serious movie and film enthusiasts who have often faced isolation or barriers to participating in community life.

She praised the theater for welcoming the group, commissioning Lindsay and displaying his work publicly. Lindsay initially used spelling to communicate, Budway said, and the commission represents a significant professional milestone.

“To see this public display of his incredible work,” Budway said, “this could be his livelihood.”

For Lindsay, the unveiling marked his arrival as a commissioned professional artist. For Paragon, the painting and sensory-friendly screenings offered two visible signs of its effort to make the new Founders Row cinema a more inclusive part of Falls Church.