brochure
Catalog Number
2022.44.3Description
Brochure, Holland Area Arts Council, for Mary Porter's art display, March 3 through April 3, 2022.History
Mary Porter was born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana. Mary graduated from Purdue University. She also studied at the Institute of Art in Cincinnati.In 1957 Mary moved to Holland with her family. Mary has 3 daughters and one son. Some artists who have been an inspiration to Mary include, El Greco, van Gogh, Georgia O’Keefe, Hokusai, and Chihuly. Mary has 2 pieces that she can point directly to Chihuly’s influence.
One piece of art could take as little as hours to complete or weeks if not longer to complete. Her piece “Free” she estimated took 3 weeks, but not all at one time. She often takes breaks from her work during their creation. Inspiration for her work comes from many places. It could be a phrase she read, a pattern she saw, a memory she had, or a passage of music she heard. Mary has completed approximately 200 pieces of art to date.
In summer of 2022 Mary is working on a piece to enter in the Tulip Time poster contest. She has had five paintings make the top 20 list over the years, including 2022. Works by Mary have been in the Button Gallery and Timmel Collections in Saugatuck. The Lake Effect and Castle Park Galleries of Holland.
Mary has won over 50 prizes for her art over the years. Her piece “Free” won the Michigan Watercolor Society prize in 2004. The piece was also in the Holland Area Arts Council Michigan Arts Show in 2006, the Grand Haven Art Show in 2008, and in the Celebration Show in Grand Rapids in 2004.
“Free” is a watercolor and acrylic piece Mary completed in 2004. One of Mary’s favorite pieces is “Adventures of the Eye”, a large abstract painting to look at and find other images. What Mary loves most is when people see things or feels things while looking at her art that she did not intend to build into the piece.