Jas (Jasmine) Portrait of Jasmine Cruz by Janine Lieberman

From Jessica Berrios, Jas’ sister: Our family would like to thank Souls Shot Portrait Project and Janine for this opportunity to shed some light to an otherwise dark situation. It has been 7 years since Jasmine was taken from us. That hole in our hearts will never heal but we all learn to cope. Jasmine was a caring and giving person. Her laugh is still an echo in our heart. We hope this project brings awareness to the gun violence in this city while still keeping our loved ones memory, like Jasmines, alive. 

From the artist Janine Lieberman:I join this Project as a meditation on personal history and memory. As a gunshot survivor myself, the attraction to participate with another family who was afflicted by this pain was clear and immediate.

This is a drawing of Jasmine, taken from a photograph supplied by her mother, Maritza, one afternoon on her sofa. Maritza chose this photo because she said she had made those braids in Jasmine’s hair that day. Jasmine was only twenty years old when she was taken and I sense the brave energy and funny mischief in her photos.

From the curator: In Janine’s treatment of Jas we do indeed feel that energy. The movement she creates with the checks in Jas’ blouse pattern, the woven braids and the progression of stripes in the background vibrate. Jas’ expression of honest engagement with the viewer and her eyebrows raised in amusement or anticipation add to the lively quality of this portrait.

Jas (Jasmine) Portrait of Jasmine Cruz by Janine Lieberman prismacolor colored pencil on charcoal paper  18” x 12”  2019