Celebrating the People Who Make Our Community Brighter

I have always believed that everyone has a story.

And I believe that every person has something to offer the world. It might be a talent, a passion, a kind heart, a willingness to help, a creative mind, or simply the ability to make someone else smile.

That idea is at the heart of my Shine Your Light Artist Project, and I am so excited to share the project with my community this September at the Northborough Free Library.

What does it mean to Shine Your Light?

As a photographer, I have spent much of my life looking for light. Photography is ultimately about light and shadow, and I think life is much the same. We all experience both.

There are times when the shadows seem to grow longer. We may be dealing with worry, loss, caring for someone we love, uncertainty, or simply a difficult season of life. During darker periods in my own life, I discovered something important. I was at my best when I was making art. When I used the gift I had been given and shared it with others, I felt more alive; more like myself.

I started thinking about how each of us has something inside us that is uniquely ours. Something we can share.

Maybe it’s music. Maybe it’s dancing, gardening, teaching, creating, caring for others, building something, making people laugh, or helping someone who needs it.

The first step is recognizing that light is there. The second is having the courage to use it. And the third is understanding that when we share our light, we can make things brighter for someone else.

The people behind the portraits

The people I’ve photographed for this project have reminded me just how many different ways there are to shine.

Ben makes music and brings characters to life through musical theater. Lia turned her love of baking into a business. Johnny creates beautiful pieces of art from wood. Gary teaches others about native plants and pollinators and helps make our neighborhoods more beautiful. Chris helps people living with Parkinson’s find strength and confidence through movement. And that’s just a small part of the project…

Their gifts are all different. Their stories are all different. But together, they make something pretty wonderful happen. They make our community brighter.

I hope these portraits encourage us to look a little closer at the people around us and recognize what they bring to the world. And perhaps even more importantly, I hope they encourage each of us to look inward and recognize our own light.

Please come see the exhibit

I am thrilled that Shine Your Light will be on display throughout September 2026 at the Northborough Free Library.

Please join me for an Artist Reception on Wednesday, September 30, from 5:00–7:00 PM. I’d love to see the people who have supported this project, the families and friends of those featured, and anyone who would like to come see the portraits and read their stories.

Northborough Free Library
34 Main Street
Northborough, MA

I hope you’ll stop by. Take your time with the portraits. Read the stories. Think about the people in your own life who shine their light. And maybe think about your own.

We all have a light. We just have to recognize it, use it, and share it.

The collection will be on display at the Northborough Free Library in September 2026.