Artesian Arts Festival Set May 26 in Sulphur
Release Date: May 02, 2018
by Chickasaw Nation Media Relations Office
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The 2018 Artesian Arts Festival, which features more than 100 Native American artists, two stages for musical entertainment and dozens of food vendors, gets underway Saturday, May 26 in Sulphur. Photo by Jacquelyn K. Sparks.
Sulphur, Oklahoma – More than 100 prominent artists representing Native American tribes throughout the United States will be featured during the Artesian Arts Festival, Saturday, May 26.
Hosted by the Chickasaw Nation at the Artesian Plaza, activities begin at 10 a.m. and continue until 6 p.m.
The Artesian Arts Festival has continued to expand each year since its 2014 inaugural year, to become one of the fastest growing Native American art markets in the United States.
A celebration of all types of art, with an emphasis on Native American art and artists, the Artesian Arts Festival features diverse art media and a variety of visual art including paintings, basketry, jewelry, sculpture, metalworking, bead work, textiles and pottery.
Open to artists from all federally recognized tribes, 110 Native artists selected for the juried show will compete in as many as 21 categories.
Artists scheduled to participate include: Chickasaw potter and New Mexico resident Marcella Yepa; Muscogee (Creek) Master Artists of the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Sandy Fife-Wilson and Jimmie Fife-Stewart; Caddo artists Chad, Chase and Wayne Earles; 87-year-old Comanche artist Rita Heath; award-winning Cherokee artist Dino Kingfisher, and many more.
The artists will be display their art work in dozens of booths along the length of Muskogee Street in downtown Sulphur.
Artesian Arts Festival Artists Talks will begin at 10 a.m. with a live paint by distinguished Chickasaw artist Mike Larsen in the ARTesian Art Gallery, 100 W. Muskogee St.
Other artists giving demonstrations and discussing their craft include: Mary Ruth Barnes, Deana Ward, Raven Halfmoon, Elihu Johnson, Tim Nevaquaya, Rena Smith, Tahnee Ahtoneharjo-Growingthunder, Ron Mitchell and Margaret Wheeler.
A variety of musical entertainment is planned, as well as tribal dance demonstrations and regalia.
Bands will provide continuous entertainment on two stages.
The musical line-up includes children’s music, rock, pop, jazz, country and more.
Performances by “Injunuity,” “Boyd Street Brass,” “Sugar Free Allstars,” “John Bomboy,” “Tequila Azul,” “Spix 5,” “Overdrive,” “Conflict of Interest,” “Bluez Boys,” and “Justin Logan,” are scheduled.
Native American Dance troupes including the Chickasaw Nation Dance troupe, Aztec Dancers, Magic Circle Entertainment, Oklahoma Fancy Dancers and Pueblo Enchantment Dancers are scheduled to demonstrate Native dances on both stages and other areas of the festival throughout the day.
Several food vendors will be serving festival fare such as barbecue, fried catfish, Indian Tacos, nachos, roasted corn, kettle corn, burgers, and more.
Sweet treats including funnel cakes, fried Oreos, pie, ice cream, watermelon and fried peaches will also be available.
An area for children’s activities and a senior citizens’ arts and crafts booth are also planned for the day.
Open to the public at no charge, the Artesian Arts Festival welcomed more than 8,000 to last year’s festival.
Cash awards will be presented to each artist for first, second and third place in each category, as well as “Best of Show.”
The Artesian Arts Festival takes place at the Artesian Plaza, located adjacent to the Artesian Hotel and Spa, 1001 W. First Street, Sulphur.
For more information, please contact Chickasaw Nation Arts & Humanities at (580) 272-5525 or email artistinfo@chickasaw.net
Absentee Shawnee/Seminole
Ben Harjo, Jr.
Caddo
Wayne Earles, Chase Earles, Chad Earles, Raven Halfmoon, Yonavea Hawkins
Cherokee
Eva Cantrell, David L. Chaudoin, Toneh Chuleewah, Dan Corley, Vivian Cottrell, J. Ross Davis, Gary Farris, Matthew Girty, Steve Holland, Troy Jackson, Ambrie Johnson, Dino Kingfisher, Talon Kingfisher, John Knotts, Tonya Lowrance, Ron Mitchell, Tommy Mitchell, Traci Rabbit, David Scott, Elizabeth Scott, Greg Stice, Jerry Sutton, Jack Test, Sr., Mary Beth Nelson-Timothy, Karin Walkingstick, Tana Washington, Jeffrey Watt, Bryan Waytula
Cherokee/Otoe Missouria
Tom Farris
Cheyenne
Merlin LittleThunder
Chickasaw
Steve Adamietz, Mary Ruth Barnes, Melvin Burris, Beverly Callahan, David J. Correll, Tracie Davis, David Dowdy, Linda Edgar, L. Wayne Edgar, Wayne Edgar, Sue Fish, Peggy Immohotichey, Elihu Johnson, Brian Landreth, Kathryn Langley, Paula Loftin, Phillip Lowrance, Kelley Lunsford, Dustin Mater, Paul Moore, Doneeta Nowlin,Heather Richardson, Tyra Shackleford, Rena Smith, Kaitlyn Tingle, Ben Trosper, Jim Trosper, Taloa Underwood, Margaret Wheeler, Ben White, Daniel Worcester, Marcella Yepa
Chickasaw/Choctaw
Norma Howard
Chickasaw/ Creek/ Seminole
Prairie Mitchelle
Choctaw
Diana Cannon, Bronson Henderson, Lauretta F. Newby-Coker, Lauren Reed, Candace Shanholtzer, Samuel Stitt, Deana Ward
Comanche
Joyce Nevaquaya - Harris, J. Nicole Hatfield, Rita Heath
Comanche / Chickasaw
Tim Nevaquaya
Creek
Jon Tiger
Creek/Euchee
Les Berryhill
Ingalik-Athabascan
Glenda McKay
Jicarilla Apache
Damon Neal
Kiowa / Otoe Missouria
Lester Harragarra
Kiowa / Creek/ Seminole
Tahnee Ahtoneharjo-Growningthunder
Laguna Pueblo
LuAnne Aragon
Muscogee (Creek)
Leslie Deer, Johnnie Diacon, Mary Howard, John Timothy II, Jimmie Fife (Stewart), Sandy Fife-Wilson
Navajo
Abraham Begay, Lester Ortiz, Herbert Thompson
Navajo/Dine
Jimmie Harrison
Northern Arapaho
Jackie Sevier
Otoe-Missouria
Mewayseh Greenwood, Regina Waters, Rhonda Williams
Ponca
Sid Armstrong
Prairie Band Potawatomi/Chickasaw
Mitch Battese
Sac and Fox
Tony Tiger
San Felipe Pueblo
Jennifer Garcia, Ray Garcia
Seminole
Cody Harjo, Sheila Little Harjo, Cynthia Yerby