Overture Media

HELP-PORTRAIT COMMUNITY MAKES PLANS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR HAITI
HELP-PORTRAIT: LOVE FOR HAITI ART SHOW SET FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

NASHVILLE, TN –January 25, 2010 — In the spirit of loving others and giving back, the Help-Portrait team announces plans to raise funds through art for the Haiti earthquake victims and rebuilding.  In the light of the recent disaster in Haiti, founder Jeremy Cowart is calling the Help-Portrait community into action to unite for a new cause: to love Haiti.

The Help-Portrait team is inviting all photographers, as well as fellow visual artists (Painters, Sculptors, Illustrators, etc.) to come together on Valentine’s Day in three weeks and hold a worldwide art show “opening” benefiting the people of Haiti.

“So far the social media community has been responding to this devastation as well as celebrities, churches and relief organizations. We believe it’s our time as the art community to respond,” shares Cowart.  “We’ve heard about many individual artists doing what they can to give to Haiti, but we believe in the strength of numbers and that if we all join in this together, the impact will be far greater as we saw in December.”

Help-Portrait has laid the outline of how the “Help-Portrait: Love for Haiti Art Show” will be organized.  Each community is to set a local location for February 14, 2010.  This date will be the worldwide “opening” of each art show. The art show can be new or old personal work – however no photos involving Help-Portrait are allowed to be included. This is not a photography show of the December Help-Portrait event. Each community will donate all proceeds from their art sale to a Haitian relief organization of their choice.

The goal of this art show is to use art as a platform to love and to establish more community by giving back. For more information on Help-Portrait: Visit the official website (www.help-portrait.com), follow the H-P team on Twitter @help_portrait (Hashtag #helpportrait), be a friend on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/helpportrait) and watch the official YouTube videos  (http://www.youtube.com/user/helpportrait).

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About Help-Portrait:
The goal of Help-Portrait was simple: 1. Find someone in need 2. Take their portrait 3. Print their portrait and 4. Deliver their portrait. This movement began just over five months ago with the YouTube video launch from Cowart.  Help-Portrait was formed by celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart as he contemplated using his skills and expertise to give back to those who may not have the opportunity for a professional photo.  The idea is that a photographer has the opportunity to help someone smile, laugh and to remember – it is a movement, a shift in photography.

December 12, 2009, photographers worldwide united in a photography movement called Help-Portrait, which gave more than 40,000 individuals portraits as more than 8300 photographers and volunteers participated in 715 locations in 42 countries. The 2010 Help-Portrait event has been set for December 4, 2010.

About Jeremy Cowart:
Cowart began full-time photography in 2005 and has traveled to 6 continents with his talent.  He’s photographed Imogen Heap, Sting, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood and more.  He’s also worked with entertainment clients ABC, E!, Fox, A&E, FX, The Style Network, CMT and more.  You can view his photos and learn more at: http://www.jeremycowart.com/ and follow him on Twitter @jeremycowart .