Charitable Photo Exhibit Captures Community Spirit

It’s a gift that is meant to keep giving.

Thanks to a partnership between Milford Photo, Milford Patch and Café Atlantique, local artists and photographers will now have a more affordable option to have their creative works on display. Milford Photo and Milford Patch split the cost to purchase 19 frames with dimensions of 18-inches by 24-inches, which will be made available for free to local artists who would like to exhibit their work at Café Atlantique.

The frames will first house original photographs taken by Pam Landry for a daily photo feature on Milford Patch called “Morning Meditation.” The Café will be the setting on Tuesday, May 3, for a reception to celebrate the new exhibit and this unique partnership. Area residents are encouraged to stop by from 5 to 7 p.m. that night to check out the photos and to speak with representatives from Milford Patch, Milford Photo and Café Atlantique.

The photographs, which will be on display through the month of May, will be available for purchase for $20 each on a first-come, first-serve basis. All proceeds will be split between two Milford-based nonprofits: The Rape and Crisis Center of Milford and the Milford Animal Control.

All involved in the project agree that it is a win-win for everyone.

“Yet another great example of Milford businesses coming together to benefit our hometown community,” says Sandy Dzialo, co-owner of . “Thank you Milford Patch and Milford Photo for enriching the environment of the Cafe and providing great opportunities for struggling Milford artists! We appreciate you!”

Landry, a Milford resident who is a calendar editor for Patch in South Central Connecticut, says, “When Sandy at Café Atlantique asked if I would like to do a second photo exhibition at the Café (I did one last August), Milford Patch Editor Denise Buffa had the terrific idea of making it an exhibition of the ‘’ photos that I contribute daily to Milford Patch. Café Atlantique has become a sort of ‘home away from home’ for many on the Patch staff, and when Milford Photo agreed to get involved in doing all the printing and framing, it all tied together perfectly.”

Milford Patch Editor Denise Buffa says, "The goal of the Morning Meditation column was to highlight the natural beauty of our great city, particularly its 17 miles of coastline. Pam Landry has captured that in a way that resonates with all of us, as is demonstrated in the many comments we get on her work. I thank her."

"I'd also like to thank Milford Photo and Cafe Atlantique for partnering with us in this fundraising event for the Milford Rape Crisis Center and Milford Animal Control,” Buffa adds.

Owner Jim Wilson says, “Milford Photo is proud to support this public display of artistic endeavor. The Café has become something of a meeting place for those who enjoy the visual arts and we are happy to help them provide a venue for artists to be seen with the professional polish a custom frame adds. We especially look forward to work done by some of our own talented clients. It’s this kind of project that makes downtown Milford a unique and attractive destination.”

Artists interested in using the frames to exhibit their work at Café Atlantique should contact Sandy Dzialo at dzialosandy@sbcglobal.net or stop by the Café, 33 River St., Milford.