_ Hobbs Freeman served on the board of directors of the Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society and of the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation and was a member of the Vicksburg Art Association.  He was a multi-talented individual.  Hobbs was an artist, sculptor, builder, jewelry maker, cook, and gardener.  He could create what ever his mind could imagine.  He passed away on June 17, 2009.  Many of the themes of Hobbs’ art were focused on natural places especially native plants and wildlife.  He spent the majority of his time in the outdoors and was an ambassador for both art and nature. 

_The Hobbs Freeman Arts and Nature Celebration and Festival is made possible by a grant from the National Park Service's Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative.

The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation (SCHF) will organize and implement a year-long celebration of local nature-based art in honor and memory of a unique and much loved Vicksburg nature artist, Hobbs Freeman.  The celebration will encompass the many aspects of the arts and the natural resources of the community with art workshops, naturalist seminars, contests, music, and exhibits leading up to a one-day festival that will explore the natural habitats of the Mississippi River region and the various ways to embrace the arts through the voices of nature.  The results of the celebration will help preserve the cultural and natural heritage of the region and promote local tourism.

The celebration will bring a variety of visual, performance, and culinary artists together for the purpose of engaging people in the community to appreciate both nature and the creative process of art.  The celebration will teach environmental lessons through the creative arts and hands-on projects.