The tiny little shop/gallery Nationale has made it to the one-year mark, and owner/curator May Juliette Barruel is commemorating with a special portrait show, on view today through January 10th, honoring the people who helped her through the past 12 months:

From the first customer who came by before we were even officially opened, to all the volunteers who have generously offered their time so I could go replenish the shop in France or have a couple hours off with my boyfriend on Sundays, authors of books we love and that one singer we play way too often, the people who built shelves and boxes, the ones who brought me treats or sat behind the desk while I ran to get lunch, supportive ladies who have spread their good word to the world wide web, the lucky one who won our ridiculous free tattoo contest, artists who all contributed gorgeous monthly exhibits, friends in need of counseling, friends willing to offer their counsel, radical customers who don't give a shit if "there isn't enough stuff in here to even pay the rent", classy and fashionable vendors who've consigned the good stuff, musicians and dancers who helped make our art openings even more special, and yes, even my cats who have to deal with all the hours I no longer spend at home with them.

She asked these people to give her their photos, and matched everyone up with different artists to interpret them into portraits—it's a list of subjects and artists that includes Carson Ellis, E*Rock, Sarah Faith Gottesdiener, YETI Magazine's Mike McGonigal, Sarah Meadows, Honey Owens, Giovanna Parolari, Lisa Radon, and so many more, including both Bruce Springsteen and little old me, rendered in this hyper-realistic style by Brooklyn-based artist Eliza Fernand. Check out the show to see how everyone else turned out too!

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