By Rebecca Oldham
Despite Saturday morning’s rain, artists returned eager and ready to showcase their work this past Sunday, April 27, at Smithville’s bi-annual Artwalk. Hosted by Smithville’s own Underground storefront, the event welcomed a turnout of over forty local and non-residential artists. The bi-annual Artwalk has been hosted by Underground since its establishment in 2011 and caters towards celebrating all creative forms of art. Vendors are encouraged to apply no matter their artistic background, leading to a wide representation of new and emerging artists.
Dreddful Things was one of the many standout vendors in Sunday afternoon’s crowd. The pair of artists, Cait and Max, specialize in punk rock-inspired printed clothing and jewelry. They curate live wear for bands and are known for their tailored custom work as well. The couple showed excitement for Smithville’s Artwalk, explaining that engaging with other artists and art enthusiasts is important to them.
“Our friends did this event and had nothing but good things to say, so we decided to give it a try,” said Cait. Additionally, they said it’s the networking, accessibility and amazing representation that drew them in. The Smithville Artwalk hand selects artists to ensure an accurate representation of all art in the area allowing for a diverse group and welcoming environment.
“The whole thing really lends itself to art,” Cait explained.
“It’s also great to meet people at these events and connect with other artists,” added Max.
Dreddful Things can be found on Instagram @dreddful_things and contacted through Dreddfulthings@gmail.com.
The representation ranged from traditional painting and pottery to digital and mixed media artworks. The mix of artforms attracted a large crowd, with many shoppers excited to discover new artists and purchase artwork they connected with. Visitor Zachary Tomlin shared his appreciation for the event, addressing how refreshing it was to see artists still committed to hand-crafted work.
“I like coming to events like this because I enjoy meeting people who still respect and make hand crafted artwork,” said Tomlin. With the rise of AI generated art, it was inspiring for art lovers to browse hand-made work in a lively and creative atmosphere. Many of the artists showcased hand painted portraits, digital and material artistry.
Philadelphia artist April Mansur, owner of Thorn Witch Creations, celebrated her fifteenth Smithville Artwalk show. She drove in from Philadelphia with her family to represent her artwork and celebrate artistic passion with like-minded people. Mansur showed enthusiasm about her daughter selling art alongside her at the show and was happy to sell their art together as a family.
“I started with one table on the green and now I do it every year,” explained Mansur, “This is the first year I get to share it with my daughter, so it’s special.”
For many, the Artwalk is not just about selling art; it’s about the artists and people behind it. Not only does it create a platform for artists, but also fosters a sense of community, where families can share their passion and connect with visitors of all ages. The Artwalk is Smithville’s way of bringing the artistic community together to support and inspire each other. Ocean city artist Jen Lewis of Twilight Tarot and Illustration expressed her thoughts on Sunday’s event.
“All of us artists stick together during these events and it really gives us that sense of community,” she said.
Rebecca Oldham is an emerging journalist and writer located in South Jersey’s Pine Barrens. She enjoys writing about the arts and all things community.
