TO: News editors, directors

WHAT: The University of Southern Mississippi will host a reception to welcome artist H.C. Porter’s exhibit, “Backyards & Beyond: Mississippians and their Stories -- One Year After Katrina,” to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

WHERE: The Katrina Research Center is located on the third floor of the Gulf Coast Library on the Southern Miss Gulf Park campus in Long Beach.

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 28, from 5-7 p.m.

SPECIFICS: The exhibit, sponsored by Mississippi Power Foundation, the Beau Rivage, Chevron and the Grand Biloxi, features environmental portrait paintings of Gulf Coast residents recovering from Hurricane Katrina during the first year following the storm. The exhibit also features work inland of the Southern counties.

The first phase of the exhibit will be hung for the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29. A second and third installment will be hung in October and November so that fresh materials will be on view each month of the exhibit.

CONTACT: Southern Miss Marketing and Public Relations at 228.865.4573.