Philadelphia 8 Opening Reception at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church
On Saturday, September 6, Upper Dublin Lutheran Church and Or Hadash welcomed the Souls Shot Portrait Project Philadelphia 8 exhibition with a moving opening reception. Guests were greeted with music by Carol Evans and Leslie Burrs, performed in the church’s beautiful chapel surrounded by portraits. Artist Gary Sieling spoke about his creative process and why he was drawn to the project, and Siobhan Mayrant shared about her nephewson, Michael L. Miller Jr., offering a powerful reminder of love, loss, and the need to show up for one another. We were honored to be joined by her sister Nicole, as well as Siobhan’s sons and nephew. Rabbi Alanna Sklovar of Or Hadash closed the program with words of hope and solidarity.
Special thanks to Chris Tranchida and the members of Upper Dublin Lutheran Church and Or Hadash for their partnership, leadership, and help installing the exhibition, and to our longtime volunteer Charlie Karl, who presented Laura with a letter of recognition from Governor Josh Shapiro. We are also grateful to Dan Schwarz from Or Hadash for his support in recruiting venues and artists. The evening concluded with food, fellowship, and time spent with the portraits.
The exhibition remains on view through Sunday, September 28, with a closing reception from 12–2 PM.
