Cristen Barnard began as an artist at age 4, and has grown to be a major illustrator of blues festival posters since her first in 1997 for the King Biscuit Festival. Since then, she has supplied the posters for six more King Biscuit Festivals. She has also supplied the art for the Notodden Blues Festival (four times), the Highway 61 Blues Festival (ten), Clarksdale’s Juke Joint Festival (seven), the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival (four), Haney’s Big House Ferriday Music Festival (three), the Mississippi Development Authority’s Road Trip tours (three), the Natchez Art and Soul Festival, Charleston’s Gateway to the Delta Festival, and the Pinetop Perkins Homecoming. In addition, Barnard designed the famous Railroad Park murals of W.C. Handy and Sonny Boy Williamson in downtown Tutwiler, as well as murals in Helena, Leland, Batesville, and Ruleville, and a huge hanging mural for Notodden’s 25th anniversary. She is perhaps best known for her painting of the legendary “Deal at the Crossroads.”
