During the month of March, the Prairie Arts Council will honor the son of one of our members, Patti Moynihan. Aaron James Porter died in March of 2014. He was an up-and-coming young artist whose life was cut short by Huntington’s Disease. His mother, Patti Moynihan of Princeton says this about her son:

“Ever since Aaron was able to hold a crayon in his hand he was drawing, coloring, and creating. Aaron never liked coloring books. He loved drawing his own creations, things from his own imagination. Aaron grew up in Princeton and graduated from Princeton High School. He attended Northern Illinois University, and after he married he moved to the suburbs and later to Peoria.

Aaron died March 16, 2014. He suffered from Huntingon’s Disease. The worst thing about that disease was it robbed him of his ability to draw and paint. Huntington’s Disease is also called Huntington’s Chorea because there is involuntary motion and twitching that occurs as brain cells deteriorate. It is a genetic brain disorder that passes from one generation to another because of a chromosome that we all carry within ourselves. The trigger is unknown, but some families have it and most do not. This disease has taken his grandmother, two uncles, and just recently Aaron and then his father, Eric Porter.

“Because Aaron loved to draw and create his own characters, his artwork is very unique. If I were to place a label on it, I would say pen and ink drawings that are characters from another world, a world of Dungeons and Dragons and fantasy.

“I am so happy that I have his artwork to remember his creative spirit, his adventuresome nature, and his love of art. I am hoping that by showing his artwork it will inspire others to create and be free to express themselves.”

Aaron’s artwork can be viewed in the PAC fireplace room March 6-29 during open hours. This event is free and open to the public.