The Southern Fired Art Festival will fill the streets of Flowery Branch this weekend, with almost 40 artists exhibiting their wares, live music and activities for kids.

Promoting handmade art was the goal when Kym Pritchett, owner of Paint it Yours Pottery in Flowery Branch, decided to begin an art festival in downtown Flowery Branch.

"This is a strictly handmade art festival, with multiple types of mediums," Pritchett said. "Everything from metal art, forging, glass fusing, glass blowing, pottery, painting ... everything."

Pritchett, who worked at Olympic Kilns in Flowery Branch for six years, said she met many artists during her time there and wanted to give them a chance to showcase their work.

"My intention for this festival is to bring a whole new level of art to this area and showcase the individuals who do this for a living," she said, "and sort of bring them to the forefront to celebrate their talent."

The festival will also give visitors a chance to see the work that goes into making art, with live demonstrations on stage from some exhibiting artists.

"I want this to be all about them, and literally let them be the shining stars of the festival," Pritchett said.

Dannella Burnett, an Oakwood event planner who organized the festival for Pritchett, said more than half of the artists at the festival will be local, such as potter Stanley Ferguson, and the performers will also bring a North Georgia flair to the stage.

"We are going to have live demonstrations throughout (the festival)," Burnett said, "and the lady that is doing the Native American art is going to demonstrate on Sunday, and (there will be) a live raku demonstration."

Pritchett also will do a stage presentation from her own paint-your-own pottery studio. Another fun stage demonstration, Burnett said, will be from Masterpiece Mixers.

"She does guided art in her studio, to kind of help bring the artist out in us that might not be so artistically talented," she said.

Although the focus will be on the artists, Burnett said she and Pritchett wanted to make the festival family-friendly by adding activities like "upscale" face painting and sand art.

A bounce house will also be available for children, Burnett said, adding that she wanted to keep all the kids’ activities "in the same artistic mode," and "really let families spend the day and enjoy some food and good music and good art."

Peggy Hoskins, who Burnett said has seems to channel Bonnie Raitt through her music, will perform, along with guitar player Ivan Duke and 16-year-old Alan Hall, who sings country music.

When she first heard Hall, Burnett said she couldn’t believe he was just 16.

"We’ll be buying his CDs and going to his concerts for many years to come," she said, adding that Hall’s style is new country, with a little bit of rock.