First Night Westport/Weston, the New Year’s Eve Celebration through the Arts held in downtown Westport each year, has added a new and visual dimension to this year’s festivities. The “We Are Family” Photo Exhibit will reflect the theme of this year’s First Night celebration by celebrating all the different varieties of families in the area. “Families” in all settings – at home, at work, at play, at clubs, at worship, at the dog park, at organizations, etc. – are invited to be included in the photo exhibit.
According to First Night Westport/Weston Executive Director Rozanne Gates, “We chose the theme of ‘We Are Family’ for First Night Westport/Weston 2008 to reflect who we are as a town, as a community, and as a unique place in Connecticut and the world. The man who wrote the hit song, Nile Rodgers, lives right here in Westport. What better way for people to feel a part of where they live than to just realize that we are indeed all part of families wherever we go. It’s thinking outside the box, it’s recognizing that we even create families outside our homes. We all want to belong to something greater than ourselves and the fact is, we do and are all family. And this photo exhibit gives us all the opportunity to be visible as a community and to become the skyline of our town.”
Seven professional photographers in Fairfield County have signed on to be the official ‘We Are Family’ photographers. They are Shelley Cryan (520-7508), Kim Cooper (247-4770), David Emberling (226-1836), Barry Hyman (221-0828), Jim Kahnweiler (854-6561), Suzanne Sheridan (222-1441), and Alison Wachstein (226-5296). To have your “family” included in the exhibit, simply telephone one of these photographers, schedule your complimentary photo shoot, and send a $50 donation to First Night Westport/Weston, PO Box 745, Westport, CT 06881 to cover the cost of producing your photo on a 16x20 foam core board for the exhibit.
In addition to the option of having your “family” photos done by a professional photographer, the exhibit curator, Erin Mc Andrew of Rockwell Galleries, is also able to receive up to a 10mb digital photo file should you want to submit your own “family” photo. The file should be on a CD-ROM and sent to First Night, PO Box 745, Westport, CT 06881. Student photographers are also invited to participate in this manner. All files submitted need to be accompanied by the $50 donation and the entry form found on the website at http://www.firstnightww.com/.
Gates has subtitled the exhibit, “Our town's story in your family photos”. “This photo exhibit,” Gates goes on to say, “will be unprecedented. Not only is it a tremendous opportunity for people to have a professional photo done at minimal cost, but you will be contributing to the face of history of Westport, literally.”
The exhibit will be on view at First Night Westport/Weston on Dec. 31 at the following locations: Westport Public Library, Westport Town Hall, Westport Historical Society, and Westport Arts Center. Weston locations prior to First Night are Weston Town Hall and Weston Public Library. The directors of First Night have stated that if a sponsor comes forward, a permanent photo book of this historic project will be created and kept at the Westport and Weston Public Library.
A full explanation, entry form, and downloadable flyer for the ‘We Are Family’ Photo Exhibit are on the First Night website at http://www.firstnightww.com/. For more information call 203-341-1041.