Paralymic competitor, Kristen Duquette mimes in front of the the portrait of Brad Davis. The opening was a ball. Great energy, great enthusiasm and great attendance. – for me it was like a reunion. So many of the subjects came that I felt like all my old friends were gathering together. I enjoyed making them feel welcome and at home.
Rabbi Philip Lazowski tells the extraordinary story of how he survived the Holocaust, and years later reconnected with the woman who helped save his life.
Pulling it all together – The full project
Posted in The Hartford Project
Tagged Hartford, Mike Sullivan, Portrait of America, Rabbi Lazowski, Rodriguez, Willie Cordero
As a misguided teen, Willie sold drugs in the Hartford projects. Witnessing his father’s demise due to heroin abuse, he reassessed his choices. After a chance encounter with a stranger, he found his calling to the church, and turned his life around.
Now a minister, salsa singer, devoted husband and father, Willie gives counsel and spreads faith to those who need guidance.
Here Willie tells a story about how the secretary at his high school made an impact on his life.
Wow – Well, it feels good. We have a studio !!!! And we have moved in. And I have taken our first round of portraits. And we have rolled the first tape in the creation of the project documentary.
My first subject was Luis Cotto- I had invited Luis, councilman of the Working Families Party, to our first POA
organizational meeting with the Greater Hartford Arts Council. He came with Angel. Not your typical councilman – on the job with baby leading the parade. Yet there he was with Angel in a stomach pouch, Kangaroo style. I have since come to find that Angel is extremely well know around town – and well loved. Luis is a proud and practical dad and has an amazing story, which I look forward to sharing with you as time goes on. Luis accepted my second invitation to be our first subject. Thank you Luis….
Albemarle Equities, the real estate development company, has essentially donated a space for Portrait of America to work in for the initial phase of its Hartford project. I am very grateful. Thank you.
