The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod presented a free, major regional art exhibit, Self Portrait Cape Cod, at the Cotuit Center for the Arts from January 5 to February 9, 2008.  This free exhibit was the second annual educational exhibit presented by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, and featured 55 established Cape Cod artists, exhibiting a total of more than 80 self portraits.

“Self Portrait Cape Cod featured a truly remarkable roster of Cape Cod artists, while advancing the arts education goals of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod by introducing hundreds of local schoolchildren to art in an engaging, accessible format,” said Margaret Van Sciver, Board President of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod.

”Self portraits are among the most compelling and universal forms of art,” said Jon Friedman, a Truro artist who participated in Self Portrait Cape Cod.  “The act of creating a self portrait is a fascinating peek into an artist’s personality and artistic process.”

Paul Schulenburg, an artist living in Eastham, discovered a whole series of self portraits from his days as a student at Boston University.  “My mother had held on to them all these years,” he said.  “It had been a joy to revisit them and step inside the person I was then, and to realize how important those art teachers were to my growth as an artist.”

Keeping younger patrons in mind, art work was displayed at a height of 4 feet throughout the exhibit -- right at children’s eye level.  Mirrors were placed throughout the exhibit, and sketch pads and pencils were available so that patrons could explore and create their own self portraits.  In addition, a mini-art library was made available to visitors, and a series of child-friendly events were scheduled over the course of the month.  School groups were welcomed to the exhibit for free for the duration of the show, and were given docent-led tours and art instruction customized to the age level of the children.

Self Portrait Cape Cod was presented thanks to the generous support of College PayWay.  “We were honored to join with the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod to present this exceptional and engaging exhibit for the enjoyment of Cape students and families,” said Stephen Galvin, CEO and founder of College PayWay.  “The arts are an integral part of the education process and an essential element of every child’s complete education.”

The exhibit was free and open to the public.  Gallery hours had been extended to accommodate the high demand anticipated for the show, based on advance bookings for school visits and the popularity of last year’s similarly curated exhibit, When We Were Younger.


About the AFCC
The AFCC, the designated local arts agency for Barnstable County, was founded in 1988.  The mission of the AFCC is to:

• Support, promote, and celebrate the arts and culture of Cape Cod
• Create a strong, stable and diverse arts and culture industry
• Contribute to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region

About College PayWay
College PayWay, formerly known as College Solutions Network, LLC, is a leading lender and premier provider of education investment solutions. College PayWay believes that getting an education is the smartest financial decision anyone can make and its founders have been helping families make their college dreams a reality for over 20 years. College PayWay works with families, colleges and universities to develop a wide variety of products and services for education planning and financing. College PayWay is headquartered in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  For more information visit www.collegepayway.com.