It’s as if you nestled your way into Crayola’s 64-box of crayons. Everywhere you look, vibrant hues appear to reach out at you, drawing you in to the sights, sounds and stylistic expression of creatives across the Southeast.

Welcome to ArtFields.

As the South’s most engaging art competition and festival, ArtFields began in 2013 to honor artists with a week’s worth of celebration and competition in the heart of Lake City. The annual festival took place April 26-May 4, featuring about 470 adult artworks and nearly 200 student artworks that were showcased in more than 50 venues, including its gallery and stores throughout the small Southern town. More than $100,000 in prizes were awarded, $25,000 of which were determined by visitor’s vote.

The town nearly doubles in size with visitors as they travel from all over to experience the living art galleries innovated from spaces you frequent. Visitors enjoyed one-of-a-kind artwork as they grabbed haircuts, browsed for the newest spring fashion finds and popped into an aesthetic coffee shop for your midday pick-me-up.

Julie Watts, a Chapin girl and Sumter artist, was featured in this year’s annual festival.

Watts fell in love with painting in high school and sought to make a career out of it. Fast forward a few decades, and she now splits her time between being a devoted social worker and mental health counselor as well as an artist. She would take tips from Guild members on how to tweak her work to make it better. For more than a year, Watts painted 24 6x6 canvases of vintage items, inspired by memories from her childhood, and lovingly named the collection “Artifacts.” After two years of art submissions that were met with “No”s, Watts finally received the long-awaited “Yes” from ArtFields.

Her work was displayed in stores in downtown Lake City, and was among the hustle and bustle of the festival to witness it being admired by others.

The youth competition was open to South Carolina students first through 12th grade, categorized by primary, elementary, middle and secondary. Winners received between $75 and $500 along with three merit awards and one student choice award.

ArtFields is thought to be “living, breathing proof of the power of art. A reminder that its beauty and soul and energy live within each of us -- even through the harshest season,” according to the ArtFields website. And for these artists to prevail, make strides and reap the benefits of their hard work, pinching oneself a few times does little to verify the reality; it feels like a dream, and it’s finally come true.

For more information, visit artfieldssc.org.