H.C. Porter, a 25-year-long regular artist at the Des Moines Arts Festival, is returning to the event with her Mississippi-blues-inspired collection. The festival kicked off on Friday and features almost 200 artists from across the country.
A Year of Rebuilding
Last year, Porter’s RV caught on fire right before she was set to leave for the festival, destroying all of her art. The devastating event led her to question whether she could rebuild her collection at the age of 62. However, with the support of the community, Porter found the strength to keep going and is now back at the festival.
Porter’s mixed media art highlights the humanity of her home state of Mississippi, and this year, her art focuses on the people behind the state’s blues music. She takes her own photos, silk screens them, and brings life into them with colored pencil and acrylic paint.
Porter’s art is located on the southwest corner booth of 13th and Locust streets. The community’s support has been instrumental in her return to the festival, and she is grateful to be back, sharing her stories through her art.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
