ATHFest’s inaugural Art Book Fair serves as beacon for local creatives
Among the usual booming local acts and bustling artist market, a new event made its entrance at this year’s AthFest.
The Art Book Fair was hosted by the University of Georgia’s Lamar Dodd School of Art on June 24. The event gave artists and press companies based in the South a chance to exhibit their current and upcoming projects. The list of exhibitors was extensive to say the least, with more than 60 booths spanning the Athenaeum in downtown Athens.
The free event lasted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to ensure there would be enough time for all visitors to take in the individual displays.
Joey Weiser, an Athens-based graphic novel artist and author of critically acclaimed young adult books, said the Athens ABF allowed him to make connections with existing fans, and introduce new people to his work.
Wesier noted that his favorite part of attending these events was to make connections with existing fans, introduce himself to new people and increase his name recognition.
However, many artists coming from outside the Athens area hosted booths that brought similar creative energy to the event.
Pat Rooks, a self-taught comic author based out of Gainesville, said the event was an excellent opportunity for artists to gain exposure and collaborate with each other, a sentiment shared by other artists at the event.
Additionally, Keep Hope Services, an art collective, used their outdoor booth to celebrate their West African roots through zines, which are short stories and mini-comics.
Aside from the numerous other impressive booths, such as Talia Bromstad’s custom greeting card booth, a number of the festival’s representatives were current students at UGA as well.
Current Lamar Dodd School of Art students Sagar Patel and Raquel Murdock were not only volunteers for the event — leading the four workshops offered at the venue — but also participated in putting up their own individual booths that showcased their art portfolios.
The Art Book Fair provided an opportunity for many creatives to showcase their work and make connections within the community.
