DENVER — It’s a Sunday morning in May, and the South Pearl Street farmer’s market is bustling. The blocked-off streets are lined with vendors under white tents selling fresh fruit and vegetables, smoothies, baked goods and so much more. Faces blur past, happily chatting under a warm spring sun.
Andy Lurie stands on the sidelines, scanning the crowd.
“I like to look for things that stand out to me,” he says. “I love hats, colorful scarves, interesting facial features.”
Lurie is looking for models, a diverse group of faces that will continue to make up the metaphorical patches of his ‘American Quilt Project’.
He spots a woman with light brown hair. She’s wearing a pink head scarf, a silver nose ring and she’s holding a puppy.
“The puppy is cute, but he won’t make it in the picture,” Lurie jokes.
He walks over, business card at the ready, and begins a speech he’s delivered hundreds of times before. He explains that the American Quilt Project is a virtual photography exhibition, shared on Instagram, made up of thousands of faces from across the Denver metro.
The woman agrees to be photographed. Lurie leads her to a nearby brick wall, holds up his cell phone — it’s the subject matter, not the technology for Lurie — snaps a few pictures and then the subject is on her way. Lurie will repeat this process at least 15 times today. Only a few decline his offer to be a part of his great American Quilt.
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