Heir Porter Speaks On His Journey So Far
Photography by Michael Salisbury
Chicago has yet another exciting rising artist in Heir Porter. The musician and visual artist is one of the most talented creators in the city with an already outstanding catalog in two completely different creative outlets. Whether it’s painting, adding to his clothing line, or producing records, Heir Porter uses his multifaceted talents to shine brightly as another talented creative on the rise.
Get to know Heir Porter via our Q&A below:
How did you start making art?
I started making art as a kid basically. I used to draw DBZ (Dragonball Z) characters all the time, and it kind of just grew from there over the years.
Tell us a bit of the time you knew you should take art or music seriously. A lot of people have talents in both but don’t always pursue it...
I knew to start taking everything more seriously once I turned 18 and I got to college. I knew I needed to start investing in myself and in my future once I was surrounded by so many peers who were working hard towards their goals. So my freshman year I began teaching myself piano for at least an hour every day. Also, I began sketching and studying different artists at the same time. I really used my time away at school to learn everything I wanted to know creatively. I figured by the time I graduated I’d be at least close to proficient. That way I could be taken seriously in the real world as a creative person.
How did you come up with the name Heir Porter?
In the beginning it was kind of a play on the name “Air Jordan”, but as of the last couple of years its meaning is more so rooted in celebrating my family and me representing something larger than just myself.
How have the pandemic years been treating you? Have you found it helped or hurt your creative process?
At first I was worried that it was going to be difficult getting people to be interested in purchasing and supporting my stuff due to the effects covid had on the economy. Strangely enough, I was blessed to have one of my best years last year during all this. It’s almost like it helped me really lock in and focus on growing as a creative person.
We know you play instruments and produce music. How do you prioritize both making artwork and music?
For me, they kind of both go hand in hand. A lot of my artwork is inspired by music. Also, when I’m not working on a new painting, making music allows me to stay productive while still doing something I’m just as passionate about.
Where do you get inspiration for your artwork?
Much of my inspiration is rooted in music, my favorite movies, and just my overall personal experiences.
What are some art pieces that you like the most that were inspired by music or movies?
My “Lone Ranger” painting was inspired by listening to the Astroworld album mainly. My piece “Be Like Water” was inspired by the movie Enter The Dragon. My zombie self-portrait was inspired by the Thriller music video.
Can you give me an example of where your art helped your music or vice versa?
A lot of times, while I’m listening to music, I think of images that I tend to directly relate to whatever the song is. When I painted my Lone Ranger painting, I remember listening to a lot of Travis Scott around that time.
Has Chicago helped you at all in your music or artwork?
I would say so. Since moving here back in 2010, I was immediately inspired by how talented everyone was. Seeing so many creatives taking their craft seriously and seeing results from their hard work was crazy motivating.
You had a huge collaboration with Disney for Soul last year. How did that come about?
Honestly, I posted some work online sometime early last year that happened to go viral on Twitter, and a rep from a creative agency reached out to me. We kept in contact, and he presented the opportunity to me during the summer, and it just went from there.
What are your plans for the rest of 2021 and the future?
I plan to release some of my own music this year as well as play more live shows. I also plan to drop more artwork as well as design more clothing that can be found on my website.