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H.C. Porter
Artist Roster
Next Rarely does an Artist emerge who offers images of the Human Spirit with such an honest and distinctive voice. As a cultural storyteller, H.C. Porter does just that. A Mississippi native, Porter received her BFA in painting and photography from the University of Alabama. While primarily considering herself a painter, it is her photography and printmaking that comprise the foundation of her paintings ... images resulting in the signature shape, form, emotionality and Southern experience so easily identified as the “Environmental Portraits” of H.C. Porter. The impetus for Porter’s subject matter was her studio neighborhood, a primarily black neighborhood in Jackson’s midtown area. A decade ago, while trying to find her own unique voice, Porter was hosting free art classes for the children living in the homes surrounding her studio. For five years her relationships with these children opened her eyes to the community around her. The transition to begin documenting this world was as natural as painting itself. While her mixed media paintings continue to document her Millsaps Avenue neighbors, some of her newest images depict portraits from other communities throughout Mississippi. From the collections of high profile celebrities like David Schwimmer (NBC’s Friends), to R&B Diva, Patti LaBelle, H.C. Porter’s work is striking a chord with a very diverse population. Her annual exhibition schedule includes at least 15 major U.S. cities, with healthy followings in Chicago, D.C., Denver, Houston, and Minneapolis to name a few ! With gallery representation in Toulouse, France, and her current participation in a major exhibition of American Artists at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, Porter is acquiring a growing list of International collectors as well. “My work is a question of identifying with my characters - You must respond to their realness - to what they bring to you and what you can bring to them. That’s where the communication takes place. The viewer holds the final step in completing the piece - to respond to us both. “ |
