Providence resident and downtown developer, Buff Chace, conceived this Project over a decade ago as a way to honor the individuals who had been working together to remake the Providence Downcity district since the early 1990’s.
In 2011, Buff enlisted his friend Jim Hooper to create the portraits. The photographs were shot during the first half of 2012 in a loft apartment in the Peerless Building that was converted into a portrait studio for this project. Over the course of 6 months, 122 people came through the studio to be photographed.
The individuals pictured, along with many others, have taken it upon themselves to re-imagine their city. The portraits are of shopkeepers and bankers; politicians and chefs, philanthropists and bartenders, students and actors, building owners and engineers, architects and artists, educators and entrepreneurs. They are all part of a larger group who make Downtown active and lively.
These people are shaping their city into the re-energized place it is today. They embody the reasons that Providence is known as “The Renaissance City” and as the Creative Capital.
Exhibit Info
The portraits will be on display in the atrium of the Westminster Lofts, 150 Union St, Providence RI. Gallery hours are Monday – Saturday 10a – 5p, entry is free.
Parking options
- On-street metered parking is available throughout Downcity Providence
- Grant’s Block parking lot – access on the corner of Westminster St and Clemence St
- Biltmore Garage at 51 Washington St. (www.biltmoregarage.com) – enter on the corner of Washington St. and Eddy St.
Buy The Book
Help support this amazing project by ordering your book now! Simply click the image below. We thank you for all your support.
Visiting Providence
There are many attractions to see when visiting Providence, visit InDowncity.com for details.
Contact
Questions? Comments? Email Jim.
jim@jim-hooper.com
Special Thanks
There are many people who have made significant contributions to making The Providence Portrait Project a reality. Special thanks to:
Brian Tetrault – Two Pines | www.twopinescreative.com
Brian acted as ‘digital technician’ and 1st assistant for all portraits; he also designed this web site. If you need to know anything photographic, strobic, video graphic, web specific, or most things technical, contact Brian.
Bob Korn | www.bobkornimaging.com
Bob is a master printer and made all the prints of the portraits for the exhibit. He can take any photographer’s work to the next level.
Scott Benson | www.scottbensonstudio.com
Scott handled the installation of the exhibit as well as building some of the display panels. He is a talented man and we are grateful for his guidance.
Ted Peffer | www.iolabsinc.com
Thanks to Ted who did all the portrait mounts and worked with Scott Benson making the stable mounting brackets so the portraits could be hung.
Lisa Carnevale | www.myrandagroup.com
Lisa handled the schedule coordination and communications for the portrait sessions. Her skills are in communications, marketing strategy and public affairs, and we were grateful for her role in the project.
The staff at Westminster Lofts | www.westminsterlofts.com
The entire staff at Westminster Lofts (Iris, Lindsay, Brian, Al, Frank, and others) was helpful and gracious during our 6 month stay with them. Great people and very cool loft apartments!
Three Bean Press | www.threebeanpress.com
Three Bean Press published The Providence Portrait Project. Thanks to Seneca, Julie and Sandy for making the publication of our book so enjoyable and pain free.