The City of Anderson’s signature arts festival will showcase a diverse range of creative work, including fine art, digital art, ceramics, and printmaking, when it returns to downtown Anderson for its fourth year on April 25 and 26.
The two-day festival will be held on Main Street and at Carolina Wren Park. Festival hours are Friday, April 25, from 4-9 p.m. and Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Attendees can also explore photography, mixed media, sculpture, and fiber arts.
Additionally, there will be a variety of unique items, including jewelry, home goods, stationery, bath and body products, culinary delights, and fashionable apparel.
People arrive for the Soiree in Anderson on Friday, April 29, 2022.
Community Events Manager Caroline Gaddisexplained that they use a juried process with a panel of judges to select their artisan vendors.
“It’s a highly competitive process each year,” she said, emphasizing that the Soirée Committee carefully reviews each application. “This ensures a high standard of quality, creativity, and alignment with the festival’s mission.”
People walk by and visit vendors and craft booths during Soirée 2024 in Anderson, S.C. Friday, April 26, 2024. Proceeds from The Soirée arts festival, with artistic guidance from the Anderson Arts Center, helps funding for new art initiatives in Anderson.
“For the visual arts, we prioritize originality, craftsmanship, and representation across various mediums,” Gaddis said.
She explained that the goal is to highlight exceptional talent across all three platforms: visual, culinary, and performing arts.
“In doing so, the festival aims to provide a well-rounded and engaging experience for festival-goers,” she said. “We take pride in offering a platform that reflects Anderson’s spirit and supports both local and regional artists.”
Soiree festival: Art categories
Fine art at the Soiree Festival includes a wide array of media, including painting, drawing, fiber arts, sculpture, mixed media, photography, and printmaking, according to a press release.
AI-generated artwork is not permitted. The Soiree festival focuses on traditional digital craftsmanship.
Ceramics and digital art
Ceramics showcased at the festival are original, non-functional pieces, per the news release.
Digital art will feature original works created or manipulated using a computer.
Each piece is a limited edition, signed and numbered on archival-quality materials to ensure authenticity.
A crowd walks on South Main Street for the opening day of the Soiree in Anderson on Friday, April 29, 2022.
Printmaking art, what to know
The printmaking category at the Soiree festival will feature original prints created by artists using traditional techniques, per a news release. This includes methods such as etching, engraving, silkscreen, stone and plate lithography, and linoleum or woodblock printing.
Each piece is produced in signed and numbered limited editions, ensuring authenticity and reflecting the artist’s original vision.
Photography
Photography at the Soiree Festival includes all photographic prints made from the artist’s original negatives or through digital image processing, according to a news release.
Each piece is a limited edition, signed, and numbered on archival-quality paper, ensuring its authenticity and integrity.
Mixed media
Mixed media art consists of original 2-D or 3-D works that incorporate more than one material or medium, per a news release.
People walk up and down Main Street during the 2023 Anderson Soiree in Anderson, S.C. Friday, April 28, 2023.
Sculptures
Sculptures at the Soiree Festival are original, non-functional, three-dimensional works crafted from any material, per the news release.
Fiber art, what to know?
Fiber art at the Soiree Festival consists of original work primarily made from fiber materials, per the news release.
This includes soft sculptures, batik, or painted fabric pieces designed for wear or decoration.
Factory-produced wearable items, even modified or enhanced by the artist, are not permitted.
Drawings
Drawings at the Soiree Festival will feature original works created using dry media such as pen, pencil, charcoal, pastel, and chalk, per a news release.
It also includes fluid media inks and washes applied with a pen or brush.
Paintings
Paintings at the Soiree Festival will feature original works created exclusively with oils, acrylics, or watercolors, per a news release.
Shea Abramo looks at the 8th grade Southwood Academy of the Arts Mural Painting “Identity & Legacy” at the 2023 Anderson Soiree in Anderson, S.C. Friday, April 28, 2023.
Jewelry
Jewelry at the Soiree Festival will showcase original pieces crafted from sterling silver, enamel, glass, ceramics, paper, and polymer clay, according to a news release.
Each piece is an original creation by the artist, with no studio-produced art pieces permitted.
Home Goods
Home Goods pieces at the Soiree Festival feature functional and decorative items crafted by the artists themselves, per a release.
This category includes textiles such as blankets and throw pillows, as well as functional ceramics like mugs and bowls.
It also includes furniture, utensils, forged items, and wooden cutting boards.
Stationery and paper accessories
Stationery at the Soiree Festival will consist of original, artist-created items such as greeting cards, notepads, and stickers, per a news release.
Beth Batson, co-author with artist Scott Foster, the children’s book “Little Wren Lost and the Teakettle Call”, at a booth during the 2023 Anderson SoirŽe in Anderson, S.C.
Bath, body, and candles
Bath, body, and candles at the Soiree Festival will feature handcrafted items that are both functional and artistic, according to a news release.
This includes artisanal soaps, lotions, and candles.
Culinary products
Culinary products at the Soiree Festival will feature original creations designed for culinary use or enjoyment, according to a news release.
This includes dip mixes, chocolates, and gourmet popcorn crafted by artists.
Apparel and accessories
Apparel and accessories at the Soiree Festival will include original creations designed by the artists themselves, per a news release.
Items such as hats, knit or crochet pieces, t-shirts, aprons, bags, and patches will be featured.
Hot Glass Academy
The Hot Glass Academy will be hosting glassblowing demonstrations on Friday and Saturday near the Anderson Arts Center.
Displays will feature aerial arts being performed by the Secret Cirkus.
Chalk Art
Artists, Patro “Pero” Ulmer and Jason Gwinn, will be on the street creating amazing chalk art on Saturday.
Eve’s Mudus has returned this year, offering hands-on pottery experience at the Soirée.
Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: What to know about creative work showcased at Anderson’s Soiree fest
