NEW SPONSORS

A huge thank you to BankGloucester for sponsoring a new Gloucester portrait to be unveiled this spring. Their generosity will enable this portrait to travel around the state as part of I Am More: Massachusetts.

Thanks to additional new sponsors Ocean Alliance, Laurie Taylor, and Anne and Richard Rosenfeld for helping to make this traveling display possible.

This brings us to $22K of our goal of $40K for I Am More: Massachusetts !

If you would like to help make the I Am More: Massachusetts displays possible, checks can be made out to Ocean Alliance with “I Am More” on the memo line, and sent to Amy Kerr, 3 Ledge Road, Gloucester, MA 01930. All contributions are tax deductible. Any amount helps!

NEW DISPLAYS

If you are looking for the original 16 I Am More portraits in January, you will find them at Cape Ann Cinema & Stage in Gloucester, the Common Crow Natural Market in Gloucester, Cape Ann Coffees in Gloucester, The Open Door Food Pantry and Community Supper in Gloucester, and Therapy for Intentional Living in Salem.

We also have two new committed future displays for 2019–the Rockport Police Department (thank you Roger Lesch!) & BankGloucester. These locations join the Danvers Art Association, Gloucester High School, Cape Ann Savings Bank, Sawyer Free Library and North Shore Music Theatre for an almost completely booked 2019. The portraits are currently available for loan in June and August.

NEW PORTRAIT SUBJECTS

Over the last month I’ve worked with portrait subjects at a mill in Lawrence, a home in Amherst, and the Salem Willows Park (for a subject from Lynn). All three loved having their reference photos taken about as much as I would.

NEW VIDEO

We are fortunate to have a brilliant local television studio in 1623 Studios, and they kindly asked me if I’d be interested in filming a video about I Am More. Privately I said, “God, no,” but Iain said, “Hell, yeah,” or something more British sounding. Lisa Smith lugged all of her equipment to my studio (diningroom) and patiently waited for my panic to subside (it never did). But, as I told her–she’s a wizard, because she created this:

I’m so grateful to have this educational tool, and also to Rob Newton of Cape Ann Cinema & Stage for playing it before every film.

NEW AWARD

It truly takes a village to get this shy person to market her project, so when local arts advocate extraordinaire, Jo-Ann Castano, emailed me to say that there was an online art award I must apply for, I gave it a go.

From Renee Phillips at Manhattan Arts International, in her piece published this week:

I first became aware of her  artwork when she submitted her entries to the Manhattan Arts International “The Healing Power of ART Exhibition.” Her unerring skills captivated me immediately. She is included in the show and I selected her to receive an Award of Excellence.  I also chose her to win a Special Recognition Art Award and be a Featured Artist on this website for work as founder of the “I Am More” project. It raises awareness and hope for those who live with special challenges. I am delighted and proud to induct Amy Kerr into our series about “World Changers.”

You can read more of Renee’s piece about I Am More here. She is doing incredible work promoting artists addressing these difficult subjects.

Lots more news to come as I am in discussions with new portrait subjects, partners and display locations. Plus a new portrait unveiling next week…Eliana.