On behalf of my staff and friends, I send love and sympathy to our good friend Arch Deal and his family upon the passing of Arch's daughter, Karen T. Deal-Balin. She had been ill for several weeks and was transferred earlier this week from St. Joseph's Hospital to Hospice.
I had the honor of photographing Arch and his five children earlier this year. He had prints made for each of them, never anticipating this would be the last complete family portrait taken. Several of his children has flown to Tampa from North Carolina just for the session.
Karen was married to Marty Balin, founder of the sixties rock band Jefferson Airplane. Her father, Arch, is a media legend in Tampa, having been the top news anchor in this market on WFLA-TV in the sixties and seventies.
An informal celebration of Karen's life is set for Monday, November 22 beginning at 6:30p.m. at the American Legion Post 152, 11211 Sheldon Road. Family and friends are encouraged to share the wonderful memories of Karen's life with stories, photos and memorabilia.
A gathering will be held for Karen this Tuesday, November 23, 2p.m. at Blount & Curry Carrollwood Chapel, 3207 W. Bearss Avenue, with the family receiving friends at that time. A Memorial Service will begin at 3p.m.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
The Holidays are Upon Us!!!
Our studio gift certificates are an excellent gift for that very special family...or someone who has done a great deal for you. The amount of the certificates can vary according to your needs. Just thought I'd advance the idea since a gift of a Masterpiece Portrait can hardly be matched anywhere. Call us today to make arrangements. You'll be very impressed with the certificate itself, personalized from you to the person you're giving it to.
Pepito Masterpiece Portrait gift certificates aren't just for the holidays. The make great gifts for such special occasions as housewarmings, birthdays, graduations, promotions, etc. It's special anytime you give a family member or friend one of them.
A Whole Lot Has Happened
Our studio has been actively involved in a lot of fundraisers in the past month. Among them: Make a Wish Foundation, Night of the Iguana, October 8; The Muscular Dystrophy Association Hearts of Fire, October 9; The Straz Jr. Center Charity Broadway Ball, October 16; The All You Need Is Love Auction benefiting the Christ the King Catholic School, October 23. The Pink and Blue for Two at Busch Gardens with Olivia Newton John on October 27.
Others held recently were: The Centre for Girls, Crewe of Tampa Bay, November 11; Morton Plant- Mease One Magical Night, November 6; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, November 13; Jesuit High School Guardians, November 13; and the Sacred Heart Academy, November 13.
Coming up this Tuesday is the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event. If you'd like more information on any of these, call us at our Tampa studio...813-281-2829.
There are even more than the ones mentioned above. We are very happy to participate in charity fundraisers. If you have one coming up that involves a verbal or silent auction, let us know and we'll arrange a Pepito Masterpiece Portraits Gift Certificate to be a part of your event. Proceeds would go to the charity and the highest bidder would get a great portrait session and prints.
Jimmy Goodman...
...Came in for his Bah Mitzvah portraits recently. His intention was to display one of them at the place where guests sign in. Jimmy was a great client and we got some wonderful portraits of him.
Ybor City Walking Tours
Our good friend and client Lonnie Herman is giving 90-minute walking tours of Ybor City. Channel 28 WFTS - ABC Action News did a great story on him this weekend. The tours, which are $15 for adults and half that for kids, are held daily and begin at Centro Ybor. I've done a portrait for Lonnie's business cards and other promotions and can say he's a first class guy.
Lonnie came to Tampa in 1986 and fell in love with our area's history and particularly Ybor City. He got the idea for the tours because he felt so many people visit Ybor City but have no idea of its prominence in Tampa's history.
Get more information on Lonnie and the tour schedules at www.yborwalkingtours.com.
Pepito Masterpiece Portrait gift certificates aren't just for the holidays. The make great gifts for such special occasions as housewarmings, birthdays, graduations, promotions, etc. It's special anytime you give a family member or friend one of them.
A Whole Lot Has Happened
Our studio has been actively involved in a lot of fundraisers in the past month. Among them: Make a Wish Foundation, Night of the Iguana, October 8; The Muscular Dystrophy Association Hearts of Fire, October 9; The Straz Jr. Center Charity Broadway Ball, October 16; The All You Need Is Love Auction benefiting the Christ the King Catholic School, October 23. The Pink and Blue for Two at Busch Gardens with Olivia Newton John on October 27.
Others held recently were: The Centre for Girls, Crewe of Tampa Bay, November 11; Morton Plant- Mease One Magical Night, November 6; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, November 13; Jesuit High School Guardians, November 13; and the Sacred Heart Academy, November 13.
Coming up this Tuesday is the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event. If you'd like more information on any of these, call us at our Tampa studio...813-281-2829.
There are even more than the ones mentioned above. We are very happy to participate in charity fundraisers. If you have one coming up that involves a verbal or silent auction, let us know and we'll arrange a Pepito Masterpiece Portraits Gift Certificate to be a part of your event. Proceeds would go to the charity and the highest bidder would get a great portrait session and prints.
Jimmy Goodman...
...Came in for his Bah Mitzvah portraits recently. His intention was to display one of them at the place where guests sign in. Jimmy was a great client and we got some wonderful portraits of him.
Ybor City Walking Tours
Our good friend and client Lonnie Herman is giving 90-minute walking tours of Ybor City. Channel 28 WFTS - ABC Action News did a great story on him this weekend. The tours, which are $15 for adults and half that for kids, are held daily and begin at Centro Ybor. I've done a portrait for Lonnie's business cards and other promotions and can say he's a first class guy.
Lonnie came to Tampa in 1986 and fell in love with our area's history and particularly Ybor City. He got the idea for the tours because he felt so many people visit Ybor City but have no idea of its prominence in Tampa's history.
Get more information on Lonnie and the tour schedules at www.yborwalkingtours.com.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Getting Busy at the Studio...
I recently had the honor of photographing Dan and Jennier Morgan along with their children: Ethan; Joshua and Natalie. As usual, the entire family was great before the camera and we got some outstanding portraits. It's always a joy when a session is as successful as Morgan family's was.
They came to the studio from their home in Trinity, a small area in Pasco County, as a result of being the high bidder for the portrait session at a Ronald McDonald House fundraiser.
Dave and Kim Murray along with son, Finn, were photographed at the studio at the end of September. They won a fundraiser auction at St. John's Episcopal Church in Hyde Park and are looking forward to locating their portraits over the fireplace in their living room.
Carlos and Lorena Leche and children Sofia and Tony recently spent a half of a Saturday in session to have some striking and timely portraits made for display in their home. The residents of New Tampa came as a result of attending a function for the American Heart Association.
Former County Commissioner Dottie Berger MacKinnon
A portrait I took of Dottie Berger MacKinnon, who was an outstanding public servant and member of the Hillsborough County Commission, will be displayed at A Kid's Place. The Place is a 60-bed facility located in Brandon she founded for care of abused, neglected and abandoned children. We salute her great work as this is not the first major non-profit project she has led the charge in forming and operating. The Pepito Masterpiece 30 X 30 Sepia Portrait of Ms. MacKinnon will be displayed at the facility.
We urge you to remember Ms. MacKinnon in your prayers and she undergoes treatment for an advanced stage of cancer. Contributions can also be made toward her great work at A Kid's Place by going to its web site at http://www.akidsplacetb.org/.
Performing Arts Center Fundraiser
A week from this Saturday, October 16, the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts will host its signature fundraising event, the 2010 Broadway Ball. Pepito Masterpiece Portraits is very grateful for the opportunity of participating in this worthwhile event. A lot will happen that night so if you're interested in getting in on the action...and bidding on one of our portrait sessions...call Sharon McDonald, Director of Special Events at the Straz, 813-222-1037.
Schedule Your Portrait Session Now!!!
The Christmas holidays are right around the corner...less than three months to go. If you'd like to have those very special portraits for the holidays, please call us as soon as possible to discuss dates they can be made. Call Karen or myself at the studio, 813-281-2829.
Have a great week!
They came to the studio from their home in Trinity, a small area in Pasco County, as a result of being the high bidder for the portrait session at a Ronald McDonald House fundraiser.
Dave and Kim Murray along with son, Finn, were photographed at the studio at the end of September. They won a fundraiser auction at St. John's Episcopal Church in Hyde Park and are looking forward to locating their portraits over the fireplace in their living room.
Carlos and Lorena Leche and children Sofia and Tony recently spent a half of a Saturday in session to have some striking and timely portraits made for display in their home. The residents of New Tampa came as a result of attending a function for the American Heart Association.
Former County Commissioner Dottie Berger MacKinnon
A portrait I took of Dottie Berger MacKinnon, who was an outstanding public servant and member of the Hillsborough County Commission, will be displayed at A Kid's Place. The Place is a 60-bed facility located in Brandon she founded for care of abused, neglected and abandoned children. We salute her great work as this is not the first major non-profit project she has led the charge in forming and operating. The Pepito Masterpiece 30 X 30 Sepia Portrait of Ms. MacKinnon will be displayed at the facility.
We urge you to remember Ms. MacKinnon in your prayers and she undergoes treatment for an advanced stage of cancer. Contributions can also be made toward her great work at A Kid's Place by going to its web site at http://www.akidsplacetb.org/.
Performing Arts Center Fundraiser
A week from this Saturday, October 16, the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts will host its signature fundraising event, the 2010 Broadway Ball. Pepito Masterpiece Portraits is very grateful for the opportunity of participating in this worthwhile event. A lot will happen that night so if you're interested in getting in on the action...and bidding on one of our portrait sessions...call Sharon McDonald, Director of Special Events at the Straz, 813-222-1037.
Schedule Your Portrait Session Now!!!
The Christmas holidays are right around the corner...less than three months to go. If you'd like to have those very special portraits for the holidays, please call us as soon as possible to discuss dates they can be made. Call Karen or myself at the studio, 813-281-2829.
Have a great week!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Every year I photograph young cancer patients for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. I am always impressed by the courage and strength with which these children face their treatment and their positive attitude toward achieving wellness.
This year so far, six have come in to the studio for portrait sessions. They are: Hannah March, 7, of Sarasota; Emma Hurriser, 7, of St. Petersburg; Jaylyn Rodriguez, 5, of Tampa; Madison Cavanaugh, 5, of Seminole; Emily Evans, 17, of Valrico; and Erica Cilini, 12. Four others will come in the weeks following and we'll report their names here.
This is something I do on an annual basis and the time I spend with these very special young people is especially satisfying. The resulting portraits are moving and show a resolve in each child's face that is not replicable. Both parents and children are delighted with their complimentary portraits, many of which are displayed at Pediatric Cancer Foundation events throughout the Tampa Bay area.
______________________________
On Febuary 3, 2010, I attended a reception at the home of designer/goldsmith Owen J. Sweet on North Redington Beach. The event, attended by some 45 prominent area residents, was held to introduce the work of St. Petersburg-based sculptor/painter Lenne Nicklaus-Ball as well as some of my own selected works of portraiture. Hors d'oeuvres delightfully prepared by Chef Steffan were served along with some of Steffan's fine wine selections.
It was a great evening. Read these pages often for the locations of future receptions to which you will be invited.
______________________________
Fashion Funds the Cure next month. I hope you can join me for this exciting event!
In addition to enjoying delicious delicacies from top area restaurants, private shopping, and an incredible auction, each of our supporters has the unique opportunity to help make the memory of a lifetime for a young girl battling cancer by sponsoring her participation in the show. Scenes from our full spring fashion show feature these girls making their debut on the runway, modeling much more than clothing. Fashion Funds the Cure is a celebration of their incomparable strength and courage. These girls redefine beauty.
The Fashion Funds the Cure fashion show will be held:
$100 Individual Ticket
$250 Patron Ticket
(Includes a listing in the event program)
Advance reservations can be made by
calling (813) 269-0955.
I'll be there photographing the event and it would be great to see you participate as well. It's always a great evening for all who come.
This year so far, six have come in to the studio for portrait sessions. They are: Hannah March, 7, of Sarasota; Emma Hurriser, 7, of St. Petersburg; Jaylyn Rodriguez, 5, of Tampa; Madison Cavanaugh, 5, of Seminole; Emily Evans, 17, of Valrico; and Erica Cilini, 12. Four others will come in the weeks following and we'll report their names here.
This is something I do on an annual basis and the time I spend with these very special young people is especially satisfying. The resulting portraits are moving and show a resolve in each child's face that is not replicable. Both parents and children are delighted with their complimentary portraits, many of which are displayed at Pediatric Cancer Foundation events throughout the Tampa Bay area.
______________________________
On Febuary 3, 2010, I attended a reception at the home of designer/goldsmith Owen J. Sweet on North Redington Beach. The event, attended by some 45 prominent area residents, was held to introduce the work of St. Petersburg-based sculptor/painter Lenne Nicklaus-Ball as well as some of my own selected works of portraiture. Hors d'oeuvres delightfully prepared by Chef Steffan were served along with some of Steffan's fine wine selections.
It was a great evening. Read these pages often for the locations of future receptions to which you will be invited.
______________________________
Fashion Funds the Cure next month. I hope you can join me for this exciting event!
In addition to enjoying delicious delicacies from top area restaurants, private shopping, and an incredible auction, each of our supporters has the unique opportunity to help make the memory of a lifetime for a young girl battling cancer by sponsoring her participation in the show. Scenes from our full spring fashion show feature these girls making their debut on the runway, modeling much more than clothing. Fashion Funds the Cure is a celebration of their incomparable strength and courage. These girls redefine beauty.
The Fashion Funds the Cure fashion show will be held:
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Saks Fifth Avenue
Westshore Plaza, Tampa
Special Guest Host
Carson Kressley
of
"How to Look Good Naked"
and
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"
$100 Individual Ticket
$250 Patron Ticket
(Includes a listing in the event program)
Advance reservations can be made by
calling (813) 269-0955.
I'll be there photographing the event and it would be great to see you participate as well. It's always a great evening for all who come.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Holidays Past, Holidays Present
Each year I spend Christmas morning and part of the afternoon at Tampa's Metropolitan Ministries, giving some holiday joy in my own way by photographing families and singles who find themselves without a permanent home during the holidays. It was no different in 2009.
With helpers Jillian Balantyne and Gilda Suarez, we photographed 40 families and eight single ladies who had spent Christmas Eve night at the Family Care Center. Classic Masterpiece 8 X 10 and 5 X 7 enlargements as well as wallet-size prints are given as a gift to those photographed.
In addition to the photos, Gilda gave out Teddy Bears that I had collected from donors over the year. It's an incredible experience to see the eyes of the young people when they receive a gift they didn't expect.
My holiday gesture at Metropolitan Ministries is as much for myself and as for those I photographed there over the past 11 years. It's probably the very best way I could utilize my time at Christmas...by giving to others. It's a feeling that can't be explained...my way of giving back to a community that's been so good to me during my career.
I want to thank all of you who are reading this blog and who have visited this web site for allowing me and my work to be a part of your lives. Your gift to me is the feeling I get when the portraits I take of your families become a part of your homes and your memories. Please stay in touch with us throughout the year and remember we are always here for you and for those you care about.
Best wishes for a great and prosperous 2010!
With helpers Jillian Balantyne and Gilda Suarez, we photographed 40 families and eight single ladies who had spent Christmas Eve night at the Family Care Center. Classic Masterpiece 8 X 10 and 5 X 7 enlargements as well as wallet-size prints are given as a gift to those photographed.
In addition to the photos, Gilda gave out Teddy Bears that I had collected from donors over the year. It's an incredible experience to see the eyes of the young people when they receive a gift they didn't expect.
My holiday gesture at Metropolitan Ministries is as much for myself and as for those I photographed there over the past 11 years. It's probably the very best way I could utilize my time at Christmas...by giving to others. It's a feeling that can't be explained...my way of giving back to a community that's been so good to me during my career.
I want to thank all of you who are reading this blog and who have visited this web site for allowing me and my work to be a part of your lives. Your gift to me is the feeling I get when the portraits I take of your families become a part of your homes and your memories. Please stay in touch with us throughout the year and remember we are always here for you and for those you care about.
Best wishes for a great and prosperous 2010!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A Very Special Portrait Session
Portrait sessions are always exciting but sometimes there's even greater joy because of something special that happened meantime.
Ten-year-old Ellie Edwards came to the studio in April with her mother, Natasha; brother, Duke, 12; and sisters Amanda, 14; and Victoria, 15. It would have been the normal portrait session in every way except for one minor detail.
I had a special relationship with Ellie. Only two years ago, I had photographed her with other children for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, an organization that conducts tests at various clinics in hopes of finding treatments and cures for the devastating disease. At the time, it wasn't known exactly what direction little Ellie's health would go. Just having cancer is bad enough...but not knowing anything beyond that is even worse.
I was overjoyed when Ellie came to the studio to have a portrait taken with the rest of her family. The sparce head of hair I remembered her with had given way to a full head of long, beautiful hair and she was bubbling with joy in the present and hope for the future. Her treatments had been successful. Each year I take photographs of those children, I wonder about them and their future. This time I got to see firsthand.
Ellie's mom had purchased a gift certificate to my studio at the Fashion Funds the Cure fundraiser for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation at Saks Fifth Avenue some months ago. She had come to the studio to redeem it. The session was so special, to see how Ellie connected with her mother...to see her celebrating her recovery.
Portraiture of the type I do for the Foundation requires me to stay in the present. I try not to ever focus on the illness but on the people...the children. For them, being photographed is a break from the routine, the treatments, the occasional pain, etc., and a time I try to make into an extraordinary experience for them.
The great thing is their experience is recorded for posterity. This time I came away from my work with more than just exposures in my camera, more than just wall portraits. The experience gave me the great feeling that perhaps photography plays as important a part in the healing process as medicine and therapy. It may sound strange to some but I truly think it does.
The sense the children get that they are important, that being in front of the camera is at that time the most important place to be in the world...that's got to have an affect on them. The relationship of subject, photographer and camera is one that cannot be replicated in any medical clinic anywhere in the world.
Ellie, you're a beautiful and courageous lady. Good luck and please visit us again soon!
Ten-year-old Ellie Edwards came to the studio in April with her mother, Natasha; brother, Duke, 12; and sisters Amanda, 14; and Victoria, 15. It would have been the normal portrait session in every way except for one minor detail.
I had a special relationship with Ellie. Only two years ago, I had photographed her with other children for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, an organization that conducts tests at various clinics in hopes of finding treatments and cures for the devastating disease. At the time, it wasn't known exactly what direction little Ellie's health would go. Just having cancer is bad enough...but not knowing anything beyond that is even worse.
I was overjoyed when Ellie came to the studio to have a portrait taken with the rest of her family. The sparce head of hair I remembered her with had given way to a full head of long, beautiful hair and she was bubbling with joy in the present and hope for the future. Her treatments had been successful. Each year I take photographs of those children, I wonder about them and their future. This time I got to see firsthand.
Ellie's mom had purchased a gift certificate to my studio at the Fashion Funds the Cure fundraiser for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation at Saks Fifth Avenue some months ago. She had come to the studio to redeem it. The session was so special, to see how Ellie connected with her mother...to see her celebrating her recovery.
Portraiture of the type I do for the Foundation requires me to stay in the present. I try not to ever focus on the illness but on the people...the children. For them, being photographed is a break from the routine, the treatments, the occasional pain, etc., and a time I try to make into an extraordinary experience for them.
The great thing is their experience is recorded for posterity. This time I came away from my work with more than just exposures in my camera, more than just wall portraits. The experience gave me the great feeling that perhaps photography plays as important a part in the healing process as medicine and therapy. It may sound strange to some but I truly think it does.
The sense the children get that they are important, that being in front of the camera is at that time the most important place to be in the world...that's got to have an affect on them. The relationship of subject, photographer and camera is one that cannot be replicated in any medical clinic anywhere in the world.
Ellie, you're a beautiful and courageous lady. Good luck and please visit us again soon!
Happy Endings are Best!
Portrait sessions are always exciting but sometimes there's even greater joy because of something special that happened meantime.
Ten-year-old Ellie Edwards came to the studio in April with her mother, Natasha; brother, Duke, 12; and sisters Amanda, 14; and Victoria, 15. It would have been the normal portrait session in every way except for one minor detail.
I had a special relationship with Ellie. Only two years ago, I had photographed her with other children for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, an organization that conducts tests at various clinics in hopes of finding treatments and cures for the devastating disease. At the time, it wasn't known exactly what direction little Ellie's health would go. Just having cancer is bad enough...but not knowing anything beyond that is even worse.
I was overjoyed when Ellie came to the studio to have a portrait taken with the rest of her family. The sparce head of hair I remembered her with had given way to a full head of long, beautiful hair and she was bubbling with joy in the present and hope for the future. Her treatments had been successful. Each year I take photographs of those children, I wonder about them and their future. This time I got to see firsthand.
Ellie's mom had purchased a gift certificate to my studio at the Fashion Funds the Cure fundraiser for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation at Saks Fifth Avenue some months ago. She had come to the studio to redeem it. The session was so special, to see how Ellie connected with her mother...to see her celebrating her recovery.
Portraiture of the type I do for the Foundation requires me to stay in the present. I try not to ever focus on the illness but on the people...the children. For them, being photographed is a break from the routine, the treatments, the occasional pain, etc., and a time I try to make into an extraordinary experience for them.
The great thing is their experience is recorded for posterity. This time I came away from my work with more than just exposures in my camera, more than just wall portraits. The experience gave me the great feeling that perhaps photography plays as important a part in the healing process as medicine and therapy. It may sound strange to some but I truly think it does.
Ten-year-old Ellie Edwards came to the studio in April with her mother, Natasha; brother, Duke, 12; and sisters Amanda, 14; and Victoria, 15. It would have been the normal portrait session in every way except for one minor detail.
I had a special relationship with Ellie. Only two years ago, I had photographed her with other children for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, an organization that conducts tests at various clinics in hopes of finding treatments and cures for the devastating disease. At the time, it wasn't known exactly what direction little Ellie's health would go. Just having cancer is bad enough...but not knowing anything beyond that is even worse.
I was overjoyed when Ellie came to the studio to have a portrait taken with the rest of her family. The sparce head of hair I remembered her with had given way to a full head of long, beautiful hair and she was bubbling with joy in the present and hope for the future. Her treatments had been successful. Each year I take photographs of those children, I wonder about them and their future. This time I got to see firsthand.
Ellie's mom had purchased a gift certificate to my studio at the Fashion Funds the Cure fundraiser for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation at Saks Fifth Avenue some months ago. She had come to the studio to redeem it. The session was so special, to see how Ellie connected with her mother...to see her celebrating her recovery.
Portraiture of the type I do for the Foundation requires me to stay in the present. I try not to ever focus on the illness but on the people...the children. For them, being photographed is a break from the routine, the treatments, the occasional pain, etc., and a time I try to make into an extraordinary experience for them.
The great thing is their experience is recorded for posterity. This time I came away from my work with more than just exposures in my camera, more than just wall portraits. The experience gave me the great feeling that perhaps photography plays as important a part in the healing process as medicine and therapy. It may sound strange to some but I truly think it does.
The sense the children get that they are important, that being in front of the camera is at that time the most important place to be in the world...that's got to have an affect on them. The relationship of subject, photographer and camera is one that cannot be replicated in any medical clinic anywhere in the world.
Ellie, stay well and come back soon! You've come a long way!
Ellie, stay well and come back soon! You've come a long way!
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