Showcasing their art to the Souderton community and beyond, local artists participate and made connections in the 10th annual Souderton Art Jam on September 24 at Souderton Community Park.

The event features live music, food trucks, marketplace vendors and many local artists, beginning at 10 a.m. and extending to 5 p.m. Souderton Connects has organized the event for the past 10 years and routinely holds it on the last Saturday of September.

According to Souderton Connects manager Christina DiVergigelis, the event was held virtually in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, it is “back to being as big as it was before COVID-19, so we’re excited about that.”

Many artists have participated in the event for multiple years, such as vendor Annecatette Khallouf.

Khallouf, who has been running her business for 20 years, enjoys seeing other people find joy in her work.

“I love to sell my work,” Khallouf said. “I love to make it, but it’s not until I sell it and it goes to somebody who’s going to love it forever that really, really makes it for me.”

According to Khallouf, art acts as a connection to more than “just your daily grind.”

“Without art, we go back to having nothing but necessities being met, shelter, food,
sleep. And as much as those things are necessities and are needed, without art, life
is blank,” Khallouf said. “You really need decoration, you need elaborate, you need something that has feeling and something that has color and function, but also beauty.”

Khallouf was granted her vendor spot for free, along with a cash prize, this year as a result of being the number one prize winner in the jewelry category at last year’s event.

Although vendor Jennifer Hershberger also enjoys community members admiring and purchasing her art, she favors making connections with the people themselves.

“I think even if nothing sells, being able to talk to people, and hearing what people see in my art, or letting them know, it’s okay to touch it and it’s okay to ask questions about it, that’s really fun for me,” Hershberger said. “I think I like that about as much as I like selling stuff.”

Hershberger recently opened a business to sell her art and utilized the Art Jam as a way to introduce herself to the community.

“It’s another venue to get some exposure and enjoy meeting the community,” Hershberger said.

Hershberger showcases her art at the Exhibit B Gallery in Souderton. She was urged to highlight her art at the Art Jam.

Vendors pay a flat fee to set up shop at the event and get to keep 100% of the proceeds they generate.

“I’m sure when you support a small business, you help people in your community do things that benefit their family, their friends and themselves,” Khallouf said.