The Mercer Vicinage recently welcomed the Souls Shot Portrait Project, an initiative that uses art and personal storytelling to honor and memorialize individuals whose lives were taken due to gun violence.
The Project visited the Mercer Vicinage courthouses on September 24, giving members of the court community an opportunity to learn more about its mission and the stories behind the portraits. Through collaboration between artists and the families and friends of victims, the Souls Shot Portrait Project creates portraits that celebrate the lives, personalities, and memories of those who were taken.
Rather than focusing solely on the circumstances surrounding a person's death, the Project seeks to tell the fuller story of who that individual was — preserving memories and highlighting the people, passions, and qualities that made each person unique.
The mission of Souls Shot Portrait Project is to use the power of original art. Art blazes a specific and special path to the hearts and minds of those who experience it. On occasion, the Project has agreed to the display of prints made from the original portraits. This exhibition is one of those events.
The presentation resonated deeply with those who attended including court clients, vicinage staff, and external community partners such as the Halsey Foundation, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P), and Case Management Organizations (CMO).
One attendee described the presenter as “informative and passionate,” adding that the Project was “inspiring as it keeps the victim's spirit alive.” The attendee also expressed appreciation for seeing artists and families work together to create vivid portraits and heartfelt tributes that captured the essence of their loved ones. Another attendee described the display as “extremely impactful.”
The responses reflect the powerful role that art and storytelling can play in remembering those who have been taken and in encouraging meaningful conversations about the human lives behind statistics and headlines.
The Souls Shot Portrait Project brings together artists and families to ensure that the memories and identities of those taken from gun violence continue to be seen and remembered. Each portrait represents not only a life taken, but also a life lived — and a lasting tribute created through the collaboration of those who knew and loved the individual.
The Mercer Vicinage appreciates the opportunity to host the Souls Shot Portrait Project and to provide members of the court community with an opportunity to engage with this meaningful work.
L to R – Judge Rodney Thompson, Family Division Presiding Judge; Judy MacKenzie, Board Member Souls Shot Portrait Project; Kayleigh Johannemann, Senior Probation Officer/Employment Specialist; Brian Giustozzi, Family Division Manager