The Alternative Press

WEST ORANGE, NJ - The West Orange Public Library hosted a photography exhibit Thursday evening entitled  “Aasha” by Namrta Shah, and sponsored through the West Orange Arts Council. Several times a year,  the West Orange Art Council selects an artist and features their work at the library. Their goal is to highlight various types of art that will enlighten and inform the West Orange Community.

                Tonight’s featured artist was Namrta Shah, a West Orange resident who loves to volunteer, help others, and is also involved with the PTA at Hazel Elementary, where her children attend school. Her photography exhibit titled “Aasha,” which in Hindi means “Hope,”  was captioned “Hope, discovered through travel” with photos of her exhibit  taken in various countries around the globe. Those countries included Guatemala, Paris, London, India, Hawaii, and Honduras. Shah stated that Honduras was very close to her heart as she and her husband spent two years there volunteering with the Peace Corps.

                The photos displayed beautiful scenery and streets of several different countries. The photos also provided a look into the different living conditions of others.  Shah said that photography for her began simply as a hobby while vacationing. After 15 years, her passion continued to grow. With her photography, Shah wants to share her experiences and bring hope to others. For several years, Shah has donatedto and initiated shoe drives for “soles 4 souls,” an organization that takes donated shoes and gives them to those who need them. Her main goal is to sell her photos and  have them made into note cards for others to buy. With any money earned, she will donate it to organizations similar to “soles 4 souls.” She said,  “My goal is to give back to those who are less fortunate.” After years of volunteering, Shah said she felt “I wanted to give a little bit more.” That is exactly what she is doing through her passion for photography.

For more information you may reach Shah at projectaasha@gmail.com.

Her website is http://www.projectaasha.org.

                Tonight’s exhibit was made possible through the West Orange Arts Council, which also sponsors “Creative Connection” through the Library once a month. Creative Connection was begun to bring artists of West Orange together for supportive critiques and to be given a chance to express themselves no matter what form of art they may represent. The Arts Council is also currently sponsoring the " West Orange Classic Film Festival.” Each Sunday afternoon at 2pm West Orange residents can come together to view a movie at AMC theatre and following the movie engage in a discussion. This coming Sunday, January 13^th at 2pm they will be showing the 1945 film Children of Paradise.