ST. LOUIS – Faces Not Forgotten, a local nonprofit and recipient of the FOCUS St. Louis What's Right With the Region Award in 2021, has teamed up with Central Reform Congregation for an important cause.
Faces Not Forgotten, born of its founder’s personal losses, is a group of artists who paints portraits of young gun violence victims. These original portraits are donated to the children’s families to provide comfort. Fine art images of the portraits are then made into quilts and exhibited nationally to raise awareness of the horrific epidemic of gun violence.
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In the St. Louis area, Faces has completed nine quilts containing 72 portraits. All nine quilts will be on exhibit at Central Reform Congregation (CRC) from April 8-May 1, with a public opening on Friday, April 8th, from 5-7 pm.
Ceremony begins at 6 pm and all are welcome.
Founder and executive director Christine Ilewski, “These children are not just numbers or statistics. Each one of them was a life ended. Each one has a Face.”
Since 2011, 200 artists have painted over 300 portraits, which have been assembled into 35 quilts. Each quilt honors victims from the same state; to date, 19 states have at least one quilt.
The organization has won numerous awards and exhibited in dozens of spaces throughout the country.
If joining us at CRC, please bring proof of vaccination and a mask. Visitors are welcome after the opening ceremony by appointment.
Contact: Founder and executive director Christine Ilewski, christine.ilewski@gmail.com
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