Art on Main 2021. Jennifer Mills, artist
The Arts Council of Henderson County (ACofHC) presents the 64th Annual Art on Main Fine Art & Craft Fair on Saturday and Sunday, September 23 and 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Hendersonville. Each year for the event, distinctive local artists, as well as highly qualified artists from the southeast region of the US gather to meet the public and sell their work.
“We have the largest field of artist vendors in the history of Art on Main,” says ACofHC executive director Eric Kerchner. “That was one of our biggest goals toward taking this event to the next level.”
The fair also boasts a new children’s area. The space, located just off Main Street, will have craft activities for youth and provide an area for families to take a break from the artist vendor route. An exhibit showcasing works from seven different regional galleries has also been added. This exhibit, along with one featuring local student work, will be on display at 125 South Main Street in a new event space called The Main Event.
For the first time, attendees can also enjoy a demonstrating artists area on the Old Courthouse Plaza. A blacksmith, woodworker, ceramicist and glass blower will be onsite throughout the weekend. Though demonstrations have always played a role in Art on Main, a dedicated space for demonstrators in multiple disciplines is a first, according to Kerchner.
“We were looking to create one specific attraction that had sound, visuals and color like nothing else in the event,” he says. “The audience will have a specific attraction to visit that is both entertaining and educational.”
Blacksmith Jason Henry Anderson, of JHA Works, will demonstrate the process of moving plain stock material into a finished art piece, such as an animal head, bottle opener or his signature forever rose. As he does so, he will explain the process to onlookers and answer questions. Ceramicist M Rathsack, along with her students and other potters, will fire their work throughout the weekend. Rathsack, who creates nature-inspired wall art and other ceramic and mixed media art, as well as functional pieces, will focus on raku pottery.
“Often, these events are very craft-focused, but Art on Main draws a crowd that is interested in fine art,” says Rathsack. “I’m very appreciative of the caliber of artists and the opportunity to focus on nonfunctional creative work.”
More than 100 artists working in mediums including paint, clay, metal, wood, fiber, photography, glass and jewelry will participate in Art on Main this year.
Maps, both printed and digital, will be available to guide attendees through the vendor areas and help them discover the many art galleries and showrooms in downtown Hendersonville. For more information, visit ACofHC.org/Art-on-Main-23.
