ABOUT THE SHOW

Pride is more than a celebration. It is remembrance. It is resistance. It is survival. This exhibition confronts the raw, often unspoken truths of queerness—the nature of being “other” in a world that demands sameness.

Through struggle, we discover strength. Through adversity, we shape identity. The artists in this show explore the deep textures of queer experience: not only the joy, color, and vibrancy often spotlighted during Pride Month, but also the quieter, darker corners—the spaces of grief, tension, rage, and resilience. These works echo the tumult of becoming, of existing, and of thriving in spite of it all.

In a time when hard-won rights face renewed threats, it is more vital than ever to uplift queer voices—especially those that don’t fit neatly into boxes. This exhibit centers those voices. It honors the defiant beauty of difference and the courage it takes to be unapologetically oneself.

Here, queerness is not only celebrated—it is revealed in its full, unfiltered spectrum: messy, powerful, painful, brilliant. These are the stories that demand to be seen, heard, and remembered.

Join us on June 6th at Good Art Co. for Queerfest 2025—an evening of powerful artwork from queer artists across the Upstate, along with delicious food, drinks from local partners, and creative vendors from the LGBTQ+ community. Come celebrate, connect, and experience the beauty of queerness in all its forms.

ABOUT THE CURATOR

Rae Clark graduated in 2014 with a BA in Visual Arts and is a self-taught musician who began recording as ∆ L Y S in 2013, producing solo music and collaborating with various local/regional artists for 10 years. They’ve been a studio visual artist at Greenville Center for Creative Arts, co-directed Tempo Arts Collective, and co-founded TPP Events in 2019. Currently, Rae works as curator for Rattlesnake Press and serves as Vice Chair and lead art curator for the Queer Arts Initiative. They also own and operate Deltalys Media, a creative business in Greenville, SC.

FEATURED VISUAL ARTISTS

VENDORS COMING SOON!

PROUD PARTNERS

SPONSORS

Join us on Friday, May 2nd for a special first look at the Third Annual Queer Arts Initiative Show, which will be featured in Queerfest on June 6th!

ABOUT THE SHOW

Pride is more than a celebration. It is remembrance. It is resistance. It is survival. This exhibition confronts the raw, often unspoken truths of queerness—the nature of being “other” in a world that demands sameness.

Through struggle, we discover strength. Through adversity, we shape identity. The artists in this show explore the deep textures of queer experience: not only the joy, color, and vibrancy often spotlighted during Pride Month, but also the quieter, darker corners—the spaces of grief, tension, rage, and resilience. These works echo the tumult of becoming, of existing, and of thriving in spite of it all.

In a time when hard-won rights face renewed threats, it is more vital than ever to uplift queer voices—especially those that don’t fit neatly into boxes. This exhibit centers those voices. It honors the defiant beauty of difference and the courage it takes to be unapologetically oneself.

Here, queerness is not only celebrated—it is revealed in its full, unfiltered spectrum: messy, powerful, painful, brilliant. These are the stories that demand to be seen, heard, and remembered.

Join us on June 6th at Good Art Co. for Queerfest 2025—an evening of powerful artwork from queer artists across the Upstate, along with delicious food, drinks from local partners, and creative vendors from the LGBTQ+ community. Come celebrate, connect, and experience the beauty of queerness in all its forms.

ABOUT THE CURATOR

Rae Clark graduated in 2014 with a BA in Visual Arts and is a self-taught musician who began recording as ∆ L Y S in 2013, producing solo music and collaborating with various local/regional artists for 10 years. They’ve been a studio visual artist at Greenville Center for Creative Arts, co-directed Tempo Arts Collective, and co-founded TPP Events in 2019. Currently, Rae works as curator for Rattlesnake Press and serves as Vice Chair and lead art curator for the Queer Arts Initiative. They also own and operate Deltalys Media, a creative business in Greenville, SC.

Join us for our first workshop of the year at Good Art Co! Learn an introduction to small jewelry making, hosted by Max Ramsey, a local queer artist from the upstate.

Outline of Workshop

 In this class, students will learn how to stamp metal using tools like hammers and stamps. Max will give an instruction and demonstration that will last about 15 minutes, then he'll hand everyone a piece of paper and a pencil to have them sketch out their designs. Max will pass around an array of stamps for students to choose from to make their designs, as well as a selection of metal blanks in various shapes for them to choose from as well. This will take 30-45 minutes. As students finish their designs Max will have them come up to the front where he'll have a hammering station set up for them with all the stamps. He will guide them through their stamping one-on-one. This portion will take 30 minutes to an hour. As students finish their stamping, he'll show how to add on the ring to make it a keychain, as well as how to darken their stamped design to make it pop, if they want. 

DETAILS

Date: April 8th

Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Location: Good Art Co.

Cost: $15 Suggested Donation

*Funds go to pay for the instructor as well as supplies. All supplies will be provided.

Artist Bio

Max Ramsey is a Greenville jeweler, working primarily in sterling silver. He has been a jeweler for the past 5 years. He attended the Fine Arts Center in 2014, where he was first introduced to metalworking, and fell in love with the medium. Then, in 2020, he got a job at a local jewelry repair shop, where he learned various skills related to repairing and making fine jewelry. After 3 years in that repair shop, he decided to branch out on his own and started his own business Aconite & Silver. His style of jewelry is ‘y'allternative’ which is a little cowboy, a little punk, and a whole lot of magic. His business website is: https://aconiteandsilver.square.site/

THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT

Join us for the opening reception of “Trauma Dump”, a duo show with Luz Angel and Joseph Smolin exhibited at Modal Coffee & Hostel’s gallery space. Come and enjoy coffee, beer, or wine as you experience the latest works by Luz & Joseph.

Show curated by Rae Clark and poster design by Deltalys Media.

This show is presented by The Queer Arts Initiative and the new works Joseph Smolin is showcasing were created with support from the South Carolina Arts Commission and Metropolitan Arts Council.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS