‘Bled For Boston’ Photo Project Raising Money To Publish Books
Photo Courtesy of Bled For Boston
He’s got the photo part down, but now Chris Padgett is looking for some funding to publish a series of books documenting the pictures he took of people’s tattoos in the months following the Boston Marathon bombings.
On Thursday, Padgett officially launched an IndieGoGo.com fundraiser page, soliciting money from supporters who want a copy of the book that he’s been working on since April.
Once published—if Padgett reaches his goal—the “Bled For Boston” book, a collection of pictures of police officers, first responders, and bystanders who got tattoos to memorialize the tragedy, will also include stories from each person who volunteered to have their photo taken. The last day to donate to the fund is February 17.
“What was going to be a little North Shore project has since become a tremendous undertaking that I am thrilled to be spearheading,” Padgett wrote on his fundraising page. “The community outpouring has been extraordinary. People have driven from all over New England to my dining room in Salem to be photographed. In the last six months, I have photographed nearly one hundred people. I have met police officers, nurses, EMT’s, marathon runners, everyday heroes, and their friends and families, all people proud to call Boston ‘home.’ I have photographed tattoos ranging from simple Red Sox ‘B’s’ to incredibly detailed dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns, all in tribute to the city of Boston and the Boston Marathon.”
He said he’s now in the homestretch of the project, which will include a gallery of the artwork on display to the public at the Boston Center for Adult Education in April to coincide with the 118th annual Boston Marathon, one year after the bombing.
“I am in the process of assembling a book of the images and stories that will be used in the gallery show. I hope to have the book printed, bound, and ready to go by the date of the gallery opening,” said Padgett.
A portion of the proceeds from the book, which is selling for $40, will be donated to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center. The percentage still needs to be figured out, he said.
Padgett first put the call out to those interested in being part of the project after he got his own Boston-themed tattoo following the April bombings on Boylston Street.
In August, he told Boston that the project grew exponentially in the matter of a couple of weeks. And while the photos are appealing, Padgett said the real focus is the stories that go along with the ink.
“I thought it would be really cool to get these and document these, because a you never see them [if they are covered up], or you only see them briefly, passing on the street. And even if you saw them you wouldn’t know the story behind them, and what drove the person to get it,” he said.
