Christy Marie Interviewed: Image is Everything

I was fortunate to be one of 3 women interviewed in the Media section of the Fall 2008 SisterDivas Magazine.

Thank you to Shon Bacon for including me. It's an honor to share the stage with Anastacia Tolbert and Romina Johnson. Check it out here.

The Kupchik Family

Today I had the pleasure of shooting the Kupchik family at Brandywine Park. It was a beautiful autumn day and the perfect day for portraits. I had a wonderful time and I hope I didn't tire you all out too much!


© Christy Marie Photographie 2008


© Christy Marie Photographie 2008


© Christy Marie Photographie 2008


© Christy Marie Photographie 2008

Memory Walk 2008, Atlantic City

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of shooting the Alzheimer's Association of Delaware Valley's 2008 Memory Walk® in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The weather was perfect---breezy and warm with a gorgeous blue sky overhead---and the participants were excited to be there.

We all know someone touched by Alzheimer's. What I didn't realize until yesterday, is that someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease every 71 seconds. I'm pleased I was able to assist in raising awareness.























































All images © Christy Marie Photographie 2008

Art Safari, Goings On, & Plans

The last several weeks have been busy ones.

I spent a day on an "art safari" with two extremely amazing photographer friends and their three kids, in Philadelphia. We started our day at the American Swedish Historical Museum for Nathan Sawaya's The Art of the Brick™ exhibit. Sawaya is an artist I recently stumbled upon; he creates art from LEGO® bricks. His work is stunning and intricate and it impressed and inspired the six of us.

Thirteen-year-old J's bulldog, below, was created in the museum's interactive building room, adjacent to the exhibit. The show closes November 30th. I highly recommend going before it leaves Philadelphia.













Inspi(red) Sawaya, © Christy Marie Photographie 2008











We spent the rest of the day, roaming the city and touring public art and Isaiah Zagar's Magic Garden. Some images from the day:









South Philly, © Christy Marie Photographie 2008














Up, © Christy Marie Photographie 2008













The Lair, © Christy Marie Photographie 2008












Lost, © Christy Marie Photographie 2008





This Sunday I will be in Atlantic City, New Jersey shooting the Alzheimer's Association of Delaware Valley's 2008 Memory Walk®. If you are in the area and would like to support this great cause by walking, please visit their website for more information.

Next week, I will be taking a much needed break. My birthday is next week, and I will be disappearing for a few days to quietly (and bravely I hope) reflect and connect with my creative side. I plan to spend some time with two women that inspire me and push me creatively. I hope to come away from the time away rested and refueled... and ready for a new year.

She Took Her Own Picture

She Took Her Own Picture is now available for sale. I am one of 44 female self portrait artists featured in the book. This is a limited release and only available for 60 days so get your copy while it is available. :)

Purchase Your Copy

** PRESS RELEASE**

She Took Her Own Picture

--- 44 female artists from across the world have come together online to self-publish a collection of photographic self portraits ---

The group of women, most whom have never met each other, have collaborated through a photo-sharing website where they share their work online, to produce a book of their self-portraits.

She Took Her Own Picture: Selections from the Female Self Portrait Artists’ Support Group will be available thisFriday, 12th September 2008. The unique venture comes as a first for women’s photographic self-portraiture today.

Self-publishing the book through Blurb.com, the artists hope the book will serve as a prototype to target suitable art publishers and make the book available on a wider basis, with the aim of donating a percentage of the profits to women’s causes.

The participants, both amateurs and professionals, range in age and origin and hail from North and Latin America, the UK and Ireland, Australia, the Caribbean, Oceania, and all over Europe. These 44 women however, are only a small percentage of over 1000 female self-portrait artists who congregate in the Female Self Portrait Artists’ Support Group, a group on Flickr started by Laurel Fiszer from Ireland, where the idea for a book of work first began. The group was set up to provide a “collective of women photographers who strengthen their friendship by sharing inspired, artistic, and well-executed photographs”.

“Laurel’s primary goal,” says Natalie J. McCarthy, writer of the introduction to the book, “was to create a place online where female photographers could share self-portraits and receive constructive criticism in a supportive, encouraging, and non-judgmental environment.
“She noticed that female self-portrait photographers were often seen as narcissistic princesses who had to defend their work against an onslaught of criticism—most of which was not directed toward the photograph’s technical merits.”

The group argues that the female self-portrait has proved to offer women artists a powerful opportunity: the chance to categorically refute antiquated notions of the woman’s role as an art object, and to create a new, empowered vision of the female model. She Took Her Own Picture, whilst constructed upon this feminist foundation, also presents a collection of first-rate photography.

“At the end of the day”, says McCarthy, “they bring you into their circle of friends and share their art with you”.

For more information, please visit:

• The Female Self Portrait Artists' Support Group
• The Book: ‘She Took Her Own Picture’

###

Ten Thousand Villages in Greenville

I had the pleasure of shooting the grand opening celebration of Delaware's first Ten Thousand Villages store this past Friday. The event was fantastic and very well attended! Lynne Howard, from County Executive Chris Coon's office, was on-hand to welcome Ten Thousand Villages to the county with a Proclamation from Mr. Coons.

Many thanks to Kristen & the many wonderful people working at Ten Thousand Villages who made my job so easy on Friday. I had such a wonderful time working with you all. And I'm sure I'll be a frequent fair trade consumer, now that Ten Thousand Villages has opened in my backyard. :)

Ten Thousand Villages is the world’s largest fair trade retailer of artisan-crafted products. They work with more than 130 artisan groups in 36 countries, and feature handcrafted home decor, personal accessories, and gift items from across the globe.

If you are in the area, be sure to stop by the store:

Ten Thousand Villages Greenville Crossing
One Greenville Crossing 
4021A Kennett Pike 
Greenville, DE 19807 
302-428-0340 



© Christy Marie Photographie 2008


© Christy Marie Photographie 2008


© Christy Marie Photographie 2008

Today

If you happen to be in the Wilmington area this evening, be sure to come out to support the opening of the newTen Thousand Villages store in Greenville tonight: Friday the 29th.

Ten Thousand Villages is celebrating the occasion by hosting ‘One Fabulous Fiesta’ tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at the store in Greenville Crossing. Read more about it here.

Show your support for fair trade and artisans by attending. And be sure to say hello to me... I'll be the girl behind the camera documenting the event for Ten Thousand Villages. :)

Hope to see you there!