Faces of Artisphere: Meet some of the people who make it happen
A three-day festival that makes a more-than-$12 million impact on the community doesn’t happen without a lot of work behind the scenes. It takes staff and sponsors and volunteers – and a slate of talented artists who take over Main Street each Mother’s Day weekend. Here are a few of the faces doing the work, from start to finish, planning to booths. Look for them among the thousands (more than 90,000 in 2023) in attendance May 10 – 12. Learn more at artisphere.org.
More on Artisphere 2024:Dates, vendors, food, art what to know about the three-day arts festival
From Upstate Parent:At Artisphere, kids are part of the action
From Greenville News:Artisphere's 20-year history, how it helped draw attention to downtown Greenville, arts
Paveen Chunhaswasdikul
Paveen Chunhaswasdikul is known to Artisphere regulars as “Beer,” the name given to him by his father at birth. Born in Thailand, Chunhaswasdikul came to the United States in 1985 and earned a fine arts degree from Jacksonville State University, which is where he discovered a love for designing and making pottery – now his full-time career. He returns to Artisphere simply because he likes being a part of the festival.
“I’ve been doing Artisphere on and off for around 10 years. I heard about the show from an artist friend more than 10 years ago and I applied to it,” Chunhaswasdikul says. beers-pottery.com
Carlos Colón
Carlos Antonio Colón is a visual artist, educator and graduate student.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Colón lives in Savannah, Georgia, where he works and studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design. This is his first year participating as a juror for Artisphere. He says there are many factors that make an artist a good fit for the festival.
“If I had to pick one thing, I would focus on the artist's commitment to their craft. The best artists and artisans for Artisphere are those that are clearly making the work and making an effort to develop their themes and their processes. I think that will go a long way to helping an artist get noticed. After that, it's about being a good, decent person and talking to the community. As artists we tend to work alone, but it's the community and the relationships we build that will ensure our success.”
Chris Fincher
Chris Fincher is connected to Artisphere both professionally and personally. He is the regional vice president for TD Bank in the Upstate, and TD Bank has been the presenting sponsor for Artisphere since the festival’s inception. Fincher says, “it's the biggest event of the year for Greenville and the Upstate.”
Fincher serves as an Artisphere board member and further supports the arts community as board chair of Metropolitan Arts Council. What delights him about this art-filled weekend? “Artisphere makes great art and artists accessible to the whole community.”
From TALK Archives:Q&A with TD Bank's Chris Fincher -- Arts are a key asset for Greenville
Erin Hughes
Anderson artist Erin Hughes has enjoyed Artisphere for years as a patron, but 2024 marks her first time on the other side of the event, as an exhibitor. Even before the first booth is up, Hughes says the festival has made an impact on her art and her career.
“As an emerging artist at Artisphere, I have already learned so much about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into a festival of this caliber. I was able to attend a workshop where seasoned show artists were present to offer advice and tips on how to make it a successful event for the artist. This was so helpful and gave me ideas that I am already employing as I prepare for the show. I am excited about the opportunity to connect with other artists and for my work to be seen by new-to-me collectors.” erin-hughes.com
Kerry Murphy
Kerry Murphy has been president and CEO of Artisphere since 2007, overseeing the event that brings more than 90,000 people to downtown Greenville.
What does she love about being a part of the Artisphere team? “To pull off a special event of this magnitude, it takes an enormous amount of effort on the part of our volunteers, sponsors, donors, board, staff, artists, various city departments, etc. Everyone is so happy to help, happy to be a part of it. The fact that Artisphere brings everyone together to support and collaborate and celebrate speaks to the spirit of Greenville and the place the event holds in our community’s heart.”
More TALK Greenville features from Artisphere 2024
Artist David Tillinghast:Dynamic creations ... and a Clemson legend
Artist Keith Seitz:Using pyrography for whimsy and storytelling
Poster Artist Amanda Outcalt:A hare to remember for Artisphere's 20th anniversary