Are you beautiful? Someone thinks you are. In fact, someone thinks you are fascinatingly beautiful.
In a world infatuated with airbrushed celebrity culture, is it possible for beauty to be found amongst normal, everyday people going about their normal, everyday lives? Noted Central Illinois Photographer Jeff McSweeney thinks so, and has set out to prove that fascinating beauty is all around us.
McSweeney is bringing his creativity and entrepreneurial spirit together in a project designed to offer Central Illinois residents a snapshot of the beauty around them. Fascinating Beauty will include an exclusive photography sitting, online gallery, 16x20 canvas print, inclusion in an art show and the book— “Fascinating Beauty”- with your picture included. You, or someone you know, will be featured in every facet of the project for an all-inclusive price of $500.
“My goal with this project is to develop the creative passion I have for the fascinating beauties I have met.” McSweeney said. “Since I was 18, I have been intrigued by beauty. For most of the years since then, I thought people saw the same as me and that same beauty. In 2004, I was blessed with a conversation with a friend, during which I discovered that each person sees beauty in their own way.” That realization is the motivation behind Fascinating Beauty.
Think about the beautiful people you know. The innocence in your child or grandchild’s eyes, your spouse’s tender smile, a pregnant mother’s glow, a cancer patient’s determination, an influential teacher’s knowing way. Consider honoring that person by including them in this tribute to true beauty.
Robin Honeg, of Eureka, will be photographed for the project with her two daughters. She hopes to use Fascinating Beauty to re-focus her teenage daughters’ attention on what is truly important in life…their success in the world based on their own potential. “I just had a conversation with a friend on how hard it must be to grow up in today's society with the rush of technology, their bombardment of the endless antics and poor choices of the tall, thin, beautiful celebrities when they read the newspaper or magazines, and the constant pressure to keep up with them or be one of them,” Hoeng said. “My goal as a mother is to make sure that I pass on what I've finally started figuring out for myself. I'd like to spare them the heartache of being so focused on what they look like and re-focus that energy into more important things.”
“Beauty is about becoming. It's not being thin, being pretty, or being popular. It's about being comfortable in your own skin,” Honeg said. “When you finally figure that out, it is truly "fascinating" to me. It is even more interesting to me that Jeff, as a photographer, realizes that and wants to capture that in his project.”
To offer an opportunity to feature as many fascinating people as possible, McSweeney will offer three complimentary portraits to be included in the book. To be considered for this generous offer, e-mail your nomination to jeff@jeffmcsweeney.com by May 1, 2008.
Suzette Boulais, Executive Director of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois, Inc., fully endorses Fascinating Beauty. “I was drawn to the project because I thought this was an extremely creative move on Jeff’s part,” she said. “Look at what a limb he is going out on to pull in for his book those faces that are seen as both beautiful and fascinating. It is one thing to have a fascinating beauty to sit before the camera, but it is up to the photographer to capture this fascinating beauty. Let's just say that I think it is utterly fascinating that Jeff has chosen to walk down this road and is willing to capture every single person in his book in a fascinating and beautiful way.”
All Fascinating Beauty portraits will be photographed in Central Illinois and will be agreed to between the artist and subject. Portraits are generally shot on location, not in a studio. The images will be digitally enhanced to fulfill the vision of the artist. While you will choose the image made into the 16x20 canvas print, the artist will have sole discretion as to which image appears in the book.
The artist, Jeff McSweeney, hopes to have all the portraits completed by early 2009 with a major exhibition and book launch scheduled for mid -2009. The book will be published upon completion of the 100 portraits.
Preliminary indications are that there will be a flood of requests for 100 portraits this project will allow. Early responses are your best hope for being included. Contact Jeff at jeff@jeffmcsweeney.com or call 309.467.5580.
About Jeff McSweeney Creative Services: Jeff McSweeney Creative Services is a privately-held creative agency specializing in photography, graphic design, marketing, public relations and web strategy. For more information, visit www.jeffmcsweeney.com
