The Arts and Crafts Fair hosted by the National Art Honor Society will take place on May 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rock Hill High School. The deadline for vendors to register is April 22.

This event will allow visitors to explore different products that are sold by community members. Some of the business that are already registered to be at the events are Hand Lettering by Josey, the Artisan’s Cookery, Little Bumble Be Studio, Grandma’s Cupboard, and Vita Verde Botanicals. Business or individual vendors, including students and teachers who are interested in selling their products or holding their own workshop will need to contact Rock Hill NAHS sponsor Gina Mock at gamock@prosper-isd.net to register. The registration fee will be $75 which will provide a reserved space for the event. NAHS will use the money collected from vendors to support community artists and senior students.

“There were over 30 vendors last year,” Mock said. “We enjoyed having a ‘paint your own pottery’ item for people to enjoy some art time together.”

In December 2019, the Arts and Crafts Fair merchandise included paintings, accessories, clothing and lotions handmade by students, teachers and community members.

“I am really excited to see everyone’s products because last year’s was so unique and fun,” junior Prosper NAHS Secretary Gillian Diel said. “We expect to see a lot of jewelry, artwork and decorations for sale.”

Although organizers pushed this year’s event back to May from its original December 2020 date due to COVID-19, the fair will provide gift options to prepare for upcoming Mother’s Day.

“There will be great gifts for mothers from handmade pottery to jewelry items,” Mock said. “What mom can’t use a good bath balm or stress relieving lotion?”

In addition, the Arts and Crafts Fair provides art workshops for children and families to spend their time while shopping. The Little Elves Pottery Painting provided a workshop at the previous event. The participants purchased pre-bisque fired ceramic mugs, plates, and ornaments ranging from $1 to $10. The guest artists then painted ceramics and fired them for the second time.

“We had a lot of people from the community and a lot of PISD staff come with their kids, too,” Diel said. “We had Christmas music and cookies and it was so fun and cozy.”

This year the event will offer another pottery workshop similar to last year’s. 

“We will have a ‘paint your own pottery’ space available in Room 1301,” Mock said. “Families can pick an item to paint, and then plan to pick them up Wednesday to Friday of the following week at the front office of the school.”

Senior and artist Alexis Strain worked as a vendor at last year’s fair, and she has also created her own jewelry shop: the Strawberry Society Shop.

“I had a lot of fun selling jewelry, and it was so cool to look around at everyone else’s art,” Strain said.”It is going to be really exciting to see the different shops set up with their unique products, small businesses have the coolest stuff.”

Working at the event as both sponsor and vendor, Gina Mock explained her experience with others in the event.

“I like the connections made from buyers after the event, who wanted to purchase more of my hand made ceramics.” Mock said. “I also enjoyed the communications that were sent later from family or friends who received the items as gifts. Those are always nice to hear about ‘this is my favorite mug ever or I only eat out of this bowl.'”