The open-air Artist Market at the 2024 AthFest Music and Arts Festival has everything from paintings to jewelry to ceramics to paintings and everything in between. As attendees made their way throughout the market, there was no telling what kinds of art they would stumble upon. 

The booths were up for awards “Best in Show,” with first, second and third place, along with five honorable mentions. Moon Child Studio took home first, Jeffrey Lerner Art came in second place and in third, Sophie Cargill Ceramics.

First place: Moon Child Studio

First place winner Mahsa Yousefi Sellers owns and operates Moon Child Studio. She describes her surreal psychedelic paintings as “healing” not only for herself, but for anyone that owns a piece of her work.

“This keeps me sane from all the darkness outside,” Sellers said. “I know people that come to my booth feel the same because they feel happy and it feels like their home… I try to create [an] experience for people.”

Sellers’s work is vibrant. It features bold, neon colors arranged in abstract portraits of stylized faces or elements of nature. Her unique personal style continued to shine through in the way she set up her booth. Sellers said that each of her paintings has a unique story. Black and white checkered floors accented with a disco ball overhead completed the uplifting, whimsical theme.

Sellers was born and raised in Iran, and at 23-years-old she moved to Savannah, Georgia to receive a master’s degree at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

“[I was] born and raised in a country [where] I could never express myself as a woman [and] as an artist,” Sellers said. “So when I moved here 11 years ago, I could finally express myself. I found myself, and a rainbow exploded.”

Sellers worked in the corporate world briefly but ultimately decided that it was not a good fit for her. Sellers now travels from festival to festival, pursuing her passion in the world of art and “spreading love,” she said.

Second place: Jeffrey Lerner Art

Jeffrey Lerner took home the second place award for his art booth at AthFest. Lerner’s art features a stylized, cartoon-like design of animals, objects and symbols with an earthy color palette. Lerner’s art is minimalistic, yet quirky. The pieces all share a thick black border that is unique to Lerner’s style.

Lerner’s signature style drew people to his booth all weekend. Lerner is a self-taught artist, and said that while navigating the world of art by himself, he did not have “other people imposing parameters [on him].”

Lerner said that his art is influenced by world culture, and he hopes that his art is able to connect the spiritual world with the physical to facilitate an individualized relationship between the viewers and the art.

“[I am] trying to connect people to the reality that’s not physical, that part of themselves,” Lerner said. “[My mission] is to just be a source of positivity and a shining light into people. When they buy my art and they get to see it everyday, it brings light into their daily life.”

Lerner’s creation process begins with one large piece of wood. He then draws the designs onto the wood, cuts out the desired shape and then begins the painting process with acrylic paint. Usually, each piece has multiple layers of paint that must each dry before moving onto the next.

Lerner is a full-time artist out of his home in Clermont, Georgia, where he lives with his family of four.

Third place: Sophie Cargill Ceramics

The even-tempered wood displays, black tablecloths and earth-toned pottery at Sophie Cargill’s booth made for an escape from the bustling streets of AthFest.

Cargill has been a full-time artist based in Athens for the past three years, working primarily with porcelain. Cargill’s ceramic pieces depict intricate designs featuring nature themes with a contemporary touch. The designs included fish, ferns, mushrooms and other wildlife elements with subtle hints of color.

“I’m very inspired by flora and fauna and nature, and lots of celestial fantasy themes,” Cargill said. “A little bit of real, a little bit of fantasy.”

Cargill does everything from start to finish in the process of creating her works, from throwing on the wheel to hand painting the pottery. She learned the basics of the craft during her time at the University of Georgia, from where she received a degree in ceramics. She is currently the studio manager of Southern Star Studio, and this position provides her a place to create art.

Cargill said that loves AthFest for a variety of reasons: the music, the art, the sense of community it brings. Winning third place meant a lot to her as a locally based artist, an Athenian and a UGA alumni.

“It means so much to be recognized, especially in my hometown,” Cargill said.