MOUNT VERNON — Volunteers associated with the Knox County Art League were able to provide 122 8-by-10-inch framed portraits to individuals and families in the local community during the league’s second year of participation in the annual Help Portrait event held Dec. 8. The event is part of a larger global event organized by celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart in which volunteers come together to utilize their time, talent and equipment to give back to the local community. Help Portrait is all about giving the pictures, not taking them.
Local event organizer Glenn Frye said volunteers included both amateur and professional photographers, hair stylists, makeup artists and other volunteers providing hospitality and snacks to event participants.
This year’s event took place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 100 E. High St., Mount Vernon. “We weren’t sure what to expect,” Frye said. “We had a number of people show up 40 minutes before the scheduled 1 p.m. opening, and had our share of technical ‘glitches’ forcing us to temporarily operate with only one printer, which created some delays.
“We more than doubled the number of portraits given from the previous year,” continued Frye, citing this year’s number of 122, which did include one dog. The number of portraits reported given worldwide as of Tuesday, was over 60,000 and on track to surpass last year’s record event of almost 68,000 portraits.
The art league is already looking forward to next year’s event which is scheduled for Dec. 7, 2013.