Souls Shot: Portraits of Victims of Gun Violence

The moving and compelling portraits of the Souls Shot project will be on view at the Art Center at Ambler during March. There will be a free reception, open to all, on March 19 from 5 to 8 pm at the Center, 45 Forest Avenue in Ambler, 215 619 8863.

The number of people whose lives have been shattered by gun violence is staggering. Telling just some of the stories of the lives lived by the victims is the goal of Souls Shot: Portraits of Victims of Gun Violence. For this poignant project artists were paired with families of victims and created portraits to illuminate those precious lives. The goal is to encourage the viewer to focus beyond the statistics and see the individuals and the cost of gun violence to our human community. The variety of mediums and approaches used by the artists reflect the unique qualities of each soul depicted.

The project began in Chestnut Hill as an exhibition meant to be on view for one month. As a result of a ground swell of support it has gone on to travel to many venues in the Philadelphia area. The second edition of the project opened in Chestnut Hill in November 2018. The exhibition will, once again, travel throughout the area for one year, including a stop at the State Capitol.

The schedule as well as information about how to participate in future portrait projects and how to donate to the project can be found on the website https://soulsshotportraitproject.org. The exhibitions are seen by hundreds of people and toured by student groups and have served as a call to action for many. Plans to expand the project to other cities and communities are in the works.

The exhibition will be at the Art Center at Ambler from March 1 until 31. Gallery hours are weekdays from 8 am to 4 pm or by appointment 215 619 8863. A reception will be held on 3/19 at 5 pm featuring light hors d'oeuvres and visits from families of those impacted by gun violence depicted in the exhibition.

The project is sponsored by Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence, a multi-faith organization dedicated to eliminating gun violence.

To learn more about the Art Center at Ambler and to view the full demonstration schedule, visit artcenteratambler.org, or email abaxter@montcosaac.com. The ACAA is located on the top floor of the Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County at 45 Forest Ave, Ambler, PA 19002, with the entrance on Spring Garden St.