Two local artists selected

Two local artists have their work displayed across Indianapolis on posters this month in the lead up to the Indy 500.

Franklin resident Greg Potter and Greenwood resident Dianna Porter, who operates a studio in Bargersville, were two of five Indiana artists selected to design the iconic “Welcome Race Fans” posters placed across Indianapolis to promote the Indy 500.

For the past three years, the Arts Council of Indianapolis has partnered with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to create posters welcoming fans visiting Indianapolis for the race, said Shannon Linker, vice president of the arts council.

About 20,000 posters — 4,000 of each design — are going up around the Indianapolis, Linker said. The original paintings, which are for sale, will be on display at locations throughout the city, she said.

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About 40 artists submitted examples of their work to the arts council, and five artists were selected based on their art styles. This year, the theme at the Speedway is “This is May,” which led judges to look for artists whose styles were colorful and full of energy, she said.

“We wanted a wide range of types of art, traditional, something that is contemporary, and something that is whimsical and fun,” Linker said.

Potter’s niche is landscape paintings that feature animals engaging in otherwise human activities.

His painting, which featured raccoons and squirrels working on a car as if they were a pit crew, is a homage to the people who work behind the scenes at the race track.

“I hope it stops and makes people laugh,” he said.

Porter said she has been involved with the Indy 500 for many years, beginning when she moved to Indiana and worked as a graphic designer for the firm in charge of creating the parade floats. She quickly got caught up in to the excitement surrounding the race.

“I couldn’t believe how crazy people are in May,” she said. “Everyone has a race party, checkered flags in their yards.”

For her painting, which includes a selection of images symbolic to the classic race, her goal was to create a picture that was colorful while conveying the excitement and pageantry of the event.

Porter, who opened her own art studio, Portal Unlimited, in Bargersville last fall, said she was excited to have a chance for her work to be exposed to this wide of an audience.

“Welcome Race Fans” posters are available for people to pick up at locations including the Indianapolis Artsgarden, the Speedway ticket office, the Indianapolis International Airport and the Art Council of Indianapolis, Linker said.