Partners in a Creemore area portrait project are looking for volunteers and nominees.
Late last year, local artist Sara Sniderhan was awarded the Robert G. Kemp Arts Award for the project.
Sniderhan will be among 10 artists to paint the portraits of people who have lived their entire lives in the area and have helped shape the community.
Sniderhan recently moved to the area from Toronto. Her work has been shown across Canada and the United States and one of her paintings is included in the National Portrait Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection. She curated the Inspired show for Creemore Festival of the Arts in October.
Sniderhan will select artists to paint the portraits from photographs taken during interviews, which will be recorded as audio files.
The portraits will be included in an exhibit and a book, to be published later this year, including the story of each person portrayed as written by local authors. The exhibit is planned for the beginning of October as part of the Creemore Festival of the Arts and the Small Halls Festival weekend. The book, a high-quality coffee table style art book, will be released at the same time.
Sniderhan said the stories of those included in the book will be about their personal histories and how the community and the landscape have changed in their lifetime.
The book is being produced in partnership with Curiosity House Books, The Creemore Echo and Clearview Community Radio, with additional support from Purple Hills Arts and Heritage Society.
Anyone wishing to put their name forward our nominate someone to have a portrait painted, is asked to contact Creemore Echo editor at 705-466-9906 or e-mail trina@creemore.com by Jan. 30. Couples and siblings will also be considered.