The Noyes Arts Garage hosts the New Jersey exhibition - Talk of healing and action

With three art exhibitions opening on Saturday afternoon, July 8, at The Noyes Art Garage in Atlantic City there was a good crowd and a wonderful opportunity to introduce Souls Shot Portrait Project to the public there. We were given a chance to speak to those gathered and explain the project as well as introduce an artist and family member pair to speak about the experience. Jackie Sandro spoke of how she met Jasmine Torres and came to know Torres’ brother through photos, mementos, and lots of stories. She created a beautiful ceramic and paint portrait of Angel Montes, “Angel by the Sea”. Torres spoke of how much the Souls Shot Portrait Project meant to her and, specifically, how working with Sandro and seeing her brother’s portrait has been healing for her.

Jasmine Torres with “Angel by the Sea”, portrait of her brother Angel Montes by Jackie Sandro.

Jasmine Torres was inspired to write a poem about her brother, Angel Montes, and read it beautifully and effectively at the reception.

Michael Cagno, director of The Noyes Arts Garage, commented that he was amazed at how people actually read all of the labels which are sometimes quite long. The labels contain the paragraphs contributed by the loved ones of the souls depicted in the portraits and the artists and they also appear in the full color catalogs created for each exhibition.

Carthornia Kouroupos being photographed with the portrait of her brother Ronald Sanders. The portrait is titled “Quiet” and was created by Rebecca Thornburgh, also one of Souls Shot Portrait Project’s founders. Kouroupos was also inspired to write a poem to accompany the portrait which appears on the label and in the beautiful catalog produced by Thornburgh for the project!