Taye Diggs

A Holiday Gift to the Arts

by Brian Smith on December 19, 2011

in Books

Looking for a last minute Christmas Gift? Want to do something to support the arts? Here’s a way you can do both…

ART & SOUL is a 256-page over-sized coffee table book featuring portraits of 123 celebrities paired with their inspirational stories about how the arts has shaped their lives. The project, shot around the country over a 15-month period in partnership with The Creative Coalition and support of Sony, has been taken to Capitol Hill to lobby for Arts funding. The book feature portraits of many Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winners including Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, Patricia Arquette, Adrien Brody, Alyssa Milano, Adrian Grenier, Taraji P. Henson, Tony Bennett, Kelsey Grammer, Paula Abdul, Tim Daly, Taye Diggs and Samuel L. Jackson.

A portion of the proceeds goes to The Creative Coalition to promote Arts in Education.

Order your copy today: http://amzn.to/saveart!

Art & Soul available at Amazon.com
“So giant-size big…the book needs a grand piano, not a coffee table.” – CINDY ADAMS/NEW YORK POST

“When you look through the book, you’ll be reminded of why you became a creative artist in the first place. Seeing the magnificent portraits and reading the words of these enormously talented performers can’t help but inspire you.” – DIGITAL PHOTO PRO

“There were prints that were so beautiful they may as well have been paintings.” – CHICAGO TRIBUNE

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ART & SOUL AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!

by Brian Smith on October 6, 2011

in Books

After two years and over 25,000 photographs, my first book, ‘Art & Soul: Stars Unite to Celebrate and Support the Arts’ is NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON. Just in time for National Arts Month, ART & SOUL is a wonderful way to support the arts. A generous portion of the proceeds from the book will go to advocate funding of the Arts and Arts Education through The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit, nonpartisan social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment community. Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating its members on issues of public importance.

Through generous support from Sony, the ART & SOUL arts advocacy project features my portraits of artists from the entertainment industry accompanied by handwritten personal testimonials from each artist expressing the importance of the arts education in our culture and the positive impact the arts has on our lives. The project was twice taken to Capitol Hill to rally support for funding the arts and arts education.

Artists photographed for ‘Art & Soul’ include Adrian Grenier, Adrien Brody, Alan Cumming, Alfre Woodard, Alyssa Milano, Amanda Peet, Anne Hathaway, Barry Bostwick, Ben Vareen, Chazz Palminteri, Cheryl Hines, Chris Botti, Dana Delany, David Hyde Pierce, Debi Mazar, Dule Hill, Eddie Griffin, Jr., Ellen Burstyn, Evan Handler, Fisher Stevens, Harry Belafonte, Hill Harper, J. Alexander, James Denton, Jamie Kennedy, Jason Ritter, Jesse Williams, Joe Mantegna, Joel Schumaker, Josh Radnor, John Turturro, Kelsey Grammer, Kerry Washington, Lynn Whitfield, Marlon Wayans, Matthew Modine, Melissa Manchester, Mo’Nique, Oliver Platt, Omar Epps, Patricia Arquette, Paula Abdul, Peter Gallagher, Richard Belzer, Samuel L Jackson, Spike Lee, Steven Weber, Taraji P Henson, Taye Diggs, Tim Daly, Tony Bennett and Wendie Malick.

ART & SOUL is the cornerstone of a grassroots campaign to focus national attention on the need to ensure that arts in America thrive and flourish. A preview of the project was shown at the Library of Congress in May 2010.

ART & SOUL is a wonderful way for those of us lucky enough to make a living from the arts to have an opportunity to show our support and give back.

Order yours today at: http://amzn.to/saveart

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Pre-order ‘Art & Soul’ on Amazon

by Brian Smith on April 30, 2011

in Books

‘Art & Soul: Stars Unite to Celebrate and Support the Arts’ is now available for pre-order on Amazon. This book is a wonderful way to support the arts. A generous portion of the proceeds from the book will go to advocate funding of the Arts and Arts Education through The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit, nonpartisan social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment community. Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating its members on issues of public importance.

Through generous support from Sony, the ‘Art & Soul’ arts advocacy project features my portraits of artists from the entertainment industry accompanied by handwritten personal testimonials from each artist expressing the importance of the arts education in our culture and the positive impact the arts has on our lives. The project has been taken to Capitol Hill to rally support for funding of the arts and arts education.

Artists photographed for ‘Art & Soul’ include Adrian Grenier, Alyssa Milano, Anne Hathaway, Kelsey Grammer, Kerry Washington, Matthew Modine, Omar Epps, Patricia Arquette, Paula Abdul, Peter Gallagher, Samuel L Jackson, Spike Lee, Taye Diggs, Tim Daly, Tony Bennett and .

‘Art & Soul’ is the cornerstone of a grassroots campaign to focus national attention on the need to ensure that arts in America thrive and flourish. A preview of the project was shown at the Library of Congress in May 2010.

‘Art & Soul’ is a wonderful way for those of us lucky enough to make a living from the arts to have an opportunity to show our support and give back.

Order yours today at: http://amzn.to/saveart

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Julia and Me in Elle Magazine!

by Brian Smith on September 2, 2010

in Hype

In what ranks as possibly the most unlikely statement of an outrageously lucky career, Julia Roberts and I are in the September 2010 issue of Elle Magazine. Julia is on the cover where she belongs but the massive 562-page issue also spotlights my ‘Art & Soul’ celebrity portrait project that I photographed for The Creative Coalition with the generous support of Sony.

The spread in Elle previews a few of the images of creative artists Jimmy Smits, Alyssa Milano, Samuel L Jackson, James Denton, Spike Lee, Harry Belafonte, Taraji P Henson, Portia Doubleday, Debi Mazar, David Hyde Pierce, Jesse Williams, Tony Bennett, Dayna Mendoza, Kim Kardashian, Kerry Washington, Miss J Alexander, Marlon Wayans and Taye Diggs in the project that showcases the importance of support for the arts and arts education.

Big THANKS to all the Creative Artists who have lent their voices to this cause and to Sony and Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. for their support!

Elle Magazine feaures Brian Smith's portraits of celebrities photographed for 'Art & Soul'

Click here for a PDF of Brian Smith in Elle Magazine.

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