For the 2009 Classic Wines auction, I created portraits for the five special speakers, one from each of the supported charities. The speakers are people who have benefited from the charity's involvement in their lives.
Savannah Paz
with Dominic and Isaiah
Trillium Family Services
Savannah is a force to be reckoned with ... in a very good way. Her hopefulness, creativity, willingness to launch out and try things, and passionate intensity impacted me deeply in the short chat we had after I photographed them in their home.
Like all of us, I have had some ‘bumps in the road’ in my life and, as a result, have become cynical and jaded in some ways. Savannah has lived through the equivalent of earthquake after earthquake and yet has maintained her optimism, a desire to help others, and an intensity of purpose that left me wondering about myself.
Thank you, Savannah.
Eduardo Reyes
Metropolitan Family Service
I photographed Eduardo at George Middle School where he attended prior to Roosevelt. He’s now volunteering his time helping the kids at George in their basketball program.
As we walked down the halls of the school I asked Eduardo if he was ready for his speech at the auction and he said, “yes”. I then asked if he was worried about speaking in front of 600 people. He said he was, and that it was a challenge, but that it was a challenge that he wanted to meet and overcome.
I learned a lot from Eduardo that day.
Ernesto Dominguez
New Avenues for Youth
Since Ernesto is a true urbanite I thought that Pioneer Courthouse Square would reflect his roots and allow him to be comfortable during the session, yet I found that he probably would have been comfortable anywhere, as he is remarkably at home in himself.
His lack of nervousness in front of the camera made my job quite easy and fun and led me to create a very simple and direct portrait that expressed his ease with is surroundings.
I am honored to have met him and to have seen him in ‘his element’: the city.
Angela Piceno
with Scott and Orion
YWCA Clark County
Angela and Scott left me realizing what is truly important in life - family. After our photographic session in their apartment, they told me the story of how drug addiction all-but-destroyed their family and how they are now three years into rebuilding what was lost, piece by hard-won piece.
Their honesty and openness left me pondering how much I want to look good and how easy it is to not address things in my life because the honesty would be ‘too painful’ for me. Ha! They certainly exposed that lie for me.
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Darian and Darshawn
Friends of the Children
These guys are just busting with energy and smiles and we had a great time playing around creating this formal structured portrait of them.
As I chatted with Darian and Darshawn and their mentors from Friends of the Children, I began to see that the relationship is a two-way street; the children are affected by the mentors and the mentors are affected by the children. I then thought of the relationships that I have with my own nephews and the children of my friends and how I could be more of a mentor and allow myself to be changed by them as well.
Life Collage of Tom Potter unveiled at City Hall
Murals for Girls Inc Power of the Purse 2009
Portraits of the Special Speakers at the 2009 Classic Wines Auction
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Artful Education 2008 calendar
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