Curving smiles and blossoming cleavage have turned a group of southern Alberta women into local celebrities.
The women agreed to pose topless for a special calendar to support breast cancer research.
The 23 volunteer models have either had breast cancer or are close to someone with the disease. They agreed to bare their breasts for a special edition calendar called Cowgirls Against Breast Cancer. The calendar features black and white photographs of women aged 30 to 70 in rural settings. All are topless but are placed discreetly among cattle, horses and farm equipment.
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“You see a little. It is not revealing,” said organizer Sabine Van Laere.
“We’re all moms and grandmas and we did not want to end up in every auto body shop. It is tastefully done.”
Photographer Janet Brown shot the photos and while the models were nervous, the finished result was a set of 12 photos of ordinary women doing something extra for a cause.
The group was influenced by the movie Calendar Girls, the true story of English women who posed nude for a calendar to support cancer research when one of their friends was diagnosed with the disease.
The Alberta calendar was unveiled at a Calgary gala in early September when original pictures and a signed calendar were auctioned. The original framed photos earned $13,000 and an autographed calendar sold for $10,500 to the Okotoks Agriculture Society.
The group printed 1,700 copies and obtained sponsors for each month to cover printing costs so that all money earned can be donated to cancer research. More than $30,000 has been raised so far and the group is considering a reprint to meet the demand.
“We’re pretty proud of our accomplishment,” said Van Laere.
