Two hundred fifteen artists from around the region will gather along the streets of Cottontown, Columbia, for the Cottontown Art Crawl, presented by Prisma Health. The artists show off their art from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 7.
The Cottontown Art Crawl began in 2019 when Cottontown resident Julie Seel and her artist friends held a small art event on their porches, event manager Katy Renfroe said. Three hundred people attended, and the festival has grown each year. In 2025, 7,000 people attended the Cottontown Art Crawl.
Various art forms such as paintings, sculptures and textiles will be available for purchase. Admission is free, and there are designated parking lots.
"This isn't a fundraiser, it's more just a signature event of the neighborhood, to showcase the art," Renfroe said. "That's the whole thing. They want to showcase the neighborhood that's a great place to live. They want to showcase artists, and that's their main goal."
Ceramics artist Diane Gilbert was originally a costume designer for 25 years in Québec, Canada. She has been doing the Art Crawl for six years at 2400 Marion St. Her ceramic work centers on animals, such as leopards, wolves and insects.
“I'm in love with nature,” Gilbert said. “I’ve always been, even as a costume designer, I did a lot of animal costumes … I’m a protector of animals and the circle of life.”
Gilbert also taught ceramics in Columbia for 18 years.
Jessica Shoemaker, who runs Southern Curiosities, also tells stories through her pieces. This will be her third year at the Cottontown Art Crawl.
Shoemaker found out about the event through her artist community. She has enjoyed it every year since she started.
Shoemaker is a whimsical taxidermist. She specializes in storybook poses. She gives her taxidermy smiles, personalities and outfits. She likes to work with rats and mice.
“One of my regular pieces that I recreate very often, is what I call 'pony princesses,'” Shoemaker said. “I get vintage carousel ponies, and I put either rats or mice on them, depending on the size of the pony, and I put a dress on them and a crown."
Shoemaker works with farmers, breeders and wildlife rescue centers to ethically preserve the lives of the animals. She also pins butterflies and moths from aviaries and farms. Shoemaker puts them in vintage frames with floral arrangements to create an elegant look.
She will be located at 2311 Wallace St. at the art crawl.
Duncan Wright, owner of Starboard Glass Co., creates stained-glass pieces. He was influenced by his grandfather, who taught him the basics when he was around 7 years old. Wright picked up the hobby five years ago.
“I feel like most people's thought of when they think of stained glass, they think of a church,” Wright said. “It's pretty, but it could be imposing in some ways. I like to be able to take that and bring it into a personal space with, ‘Okay, now you can make your living room have these pretty colors and stuff in it.'”
Wright specializes in 3D geometrical designs. Wright makes origami cranes, sun-catchers, lanterns, wall-hangings and mixtapes. He tries not to copy others’ stained glass designs and instead creates out-of-the-box art, he said.
This is Wright’s third year at the Cottontown Art Crawl. He will be located at the 2400 Block of Marion.
This year, the Cottontown Art Crawl will also feature live music and food vendors. The food trucks range from Venezuelan foods to Indian foods. Musical artists playing at the event are primarily local with different genres of music. The Cottontown Art Crawl is intended to be a celebration of all forms of art.
"It's the biggest art show in Columbia," Renfroe said. "There isn't anything else really like it ... It's a huge outdoor festival ... It showcases the neighborhood and what a great place it is to live."
More information about participating artists, music and food vendors can be found on the Cottontown website under the “Cottontown Art Crawl” section. A map of artist locations and parking can also be found on the website.