From the moment I first saw images of Luna Parc, I knew I had to visit and see this place for myself!
Luna Parc is the actual home and studio of madcap artist Ricky Boscarino. In 1989 Ricky acquired an old hunting cabin in a wooded area in Sandyston, NJ. This modest cabin eventually evolved into an 11 floor, 5,000 square foot exhibition of his artistic genius, showcasing his work with cement, ceramics, rock, wood, glass, metal and mosaic tiles. He also incorporates unusual objects into his work. This amazing place he also calls home.
Upon arrival for our visit, Ricky greeted us warmly, and gave us a delightful tour filled with the history of Luna Parc, as well as countless stories of the evolution of what we see today. The stories were fascinating, as were all of his creations, and those still in progress. This post highlights the amazing things that caught my eye on the two visits I have had the pleasure of making recently.
Let’s begin our tour inside…
I personally love doorways, and did my best to come away with creative images shooting through every one I could get a good angle on. Check out the giant wooden doors in the first three images below. They weigh a ton, and were imported from Bejing, I believe. Can’t even imagine that shipping cost!
Take time to look closely. So much to see!
The last image above is taken in the kitchen, so let’s take a peak at some of my favorites from that room.
Yes, this is Ricky’s actual working kitchen. So many interesting and colorful things to photograph here!
Arguably, the bathroom is not only the coolest part of the house, but is also the most photographed bathroom in New Jersey-according to Ricky:)
Is this the most amazing bathroom you’ve ever seen?! The mosaic work is just incredible! And where else can you find a bed pan collection artistically mounted on the ceiling like this one?! If you visit, make sure you get a demo of the open-air shower (not pictured). Sorry, guests get to use a very clean porta potty outdoors.
As we tour around the different rooms, this one above has got to be my next favorite. You’ve got angels and a giant oval window like you might see on a ship. And check out the can lid collection decorating the ceiling. This is such a fun room to spend some time exploring and photographing.
Below are a collection of found oddities and art creations. Gotta love the Devil with the Blue Dress!
Ricky at work at work
Below are more of his works. He is famous for his Face Pots
The outside of the house is what first drew me to want to visit Luna Parc. Like something straight out of a fairytale. It was love at first sight, and I could not wait to photograph all the cool colors, shapes and textures! So many different compositional angles to shoot from. It was hard to even know where to begin. The more closely you look, the more amazing things you find.
As you wander the grounds behind the house-which is a truly unique sculpture garden, you will notice a ton of crutches. These are part of tribute to Ricky’s grandfather and the miraculous event he witnessed. The picture in the center above, is a story about this miracle. There is also a really cool chapel on the property (not pictured here).
This post aims to highlight one of the neatest places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting and photographing. Everyone should visit Luna Parc at least once. It is only a short drive from the town of Milford in the Delaware Water Gap, where there are so many things to see and do.
I came across a neat article that gives greater detail on Luna Parc. Since my focus was more on creating images than in-depth details, I’m including the link for you to check out. https://myfamilytravels.com/the-new-jersey-hamlet-with-a-surreal-sculpture-park-locals-proudly-recommend/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRc5OBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEevOqJe-zWC_1QuzvUZZdSunN1G06xLRCyHmO15Ii8_MlJ1h1YjswJ1decmGA_aem_HhISPRNMnUf0zrNVY3dIZg
A cornerstone-type mosaic on the side of the house states that as of 2024, Ricky has invested over 56,000 hours of time working on his creation!
The final image is a spot that Ricky points out in the floor, where his ashes will eventually be placed as his legacy lives on in Luna Parc through the foundation he has created.
For those interested in details of what gear I used, etc, here you go. I worked with a single camera, the Olympus EM 1 MK 3, and a few different lenses. I used a Rokinon 7.5mm, Laowa 6mm Dreamer lens, and OM System 12-24mm f/2.8 PRO. All shots are hand-held. I shot a series of 3 bracketed images, 2-stops apart to capture detail in the bright highlights as well as darker shadow areas. I used image stabilization and as high an ISO as needed to capture sharp images without a tripod. All bracketed images were merged into a single image and edited in Lightroom Classic.
For anyone that might be interested in joining me for another photography workshop at Luna Parc, see details on the home page of the website. www.ValerieHoffmanPhotography.com
Make sure to check out the waterfall workshop happening the day before!. But hurry. The workshop is coming up on Saturday May 9th. Registration closes May 6th! Hope this post excites a few of you to join us!!!