Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Perquimans Arts League (PAL) officials announce a new photo essay, “Albemarle Senior Athletes,” as one of its fall 2021 exhibits in their new gallery. Now through mid June, senior athletes from Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Gates, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties can be photographed for this photo essay.

The exhibit of original photography will feature participants from area counties who are competing in the 2021 Albemarle Senior Games. This photo essay will reflect an undeniable, trend setting demographic – active senior citizens. While many participants are natives, others represent a sector of the nation’s population who increasingly select this region as the site for their retirement years. Lastly, the exhibit will reveal seniors who still enjoy competitive sports and enjoy pushing their bodies to their golden age limits.

 

Ed Sanford president of the Perquimans Arts League said PAL is proud to not only serve as a hub for local artists but an affordable venue that exposes the public to alluring art. That selection routinely includes paintings, pottery, glass, photography, fiber art and jewelry. PAL’s selection of art, Sanford said, is critical in order to meet the interests of tourists, native North Carolinians and transplants. Those transplants include Sanford and his wife who relocated, or as demographers say migrated, to rural North Carolina nearly 17 years ago from Maryland.

Sanford said the idea for the upcoming photo essay resulted from an Oct. 24, 2020 news story published by The Daily Advance: “Cook breaks two athletic records at NC games.” Soon after writing the story, the author, photojournalist Kesha Williams, realized this group deserved more than one news story. They should be featured like never before in a photo essay, she told Sanford. PAL board members saw the value of linking a growing demographic – vibrant senior citizens – to the arts. Sanford said the photo essay arrives at a time when the region still ranks high on the list of retirees who favor a quaint, coastal setting for their retirement years.

“Having a show that reflects the people who live here and in surrounding counties is an important area of interest. A photo essay of vibrant seniors will interest the general population of the Albemarle region,” Sanford said. “This photo essay allows us to partner with a photojournalist who has been shooting for and contributing to the media over 20 years. There aren’t many female photojournalists working in an industry that has been dominated by males.

“‘I’ve loved and participated in photography including competitions throughout my life. In terms of photojournalism, this particular exhibit will be unique and interesting. We just need more people to come forward and become part of this exhibit,” Sanford added.

Williams is collaborating with Albemarle Commission Area Agency on Aging to meet their senior athletes and set appointments to photograph them. Ashley Lamb, an aging program specialist with that agency, said the Albemarle Senior Games usually attracts over 400 enrolled participants from Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Gates, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties. This year, the number of participants is much lower. Lamb said this year’s virtual competition doesn’t offer routine participants the setting they normally enjoy – a setting where large numbers of people gather to not only compete but enjoy the company of their peers. She is inspired by the participants who have registered for this year’s Albemarle

Additional senior athletes from the above stated Albemarle counties are needed in order to reflect the array of Albemarle Senior Games sports list. The deadline for Williams to photograph registered Albemarle Senior Games athletes is June 12. Appointments should be made right away.

Williams assures participants the images can be made at outdoor settings, within the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for social distancing. The photo shoots are private appointments and the photojournalist has been fully vaccinated.

To request a photo appointment for this photo essay, call Harbor Images, 252-331-7718 or send an email message: harborsnaps@gmail.com

The gallery of the Perquimans Arts League is currently located at 109 N. Church St. Patrons can visit the gallery weekdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. , but it is closed Saturdays. The photo essay, “Albemarle Senior Athletes” is scheduled to appear in Perquimans Arts League’s new location,133 N. Church Street in fall 2021. There is no fee to enter the gallery.

Their phone number is: 252-426-3041

Visit their website: http://www.perquimansarts.org/