As of May 24, 50 fine artists, crafters and special event booths have registered to be a part of the 53rd Nescatunga Arts Festival May 31-June 1 at the Alva Recreation Complex at 1887 Goldbug Blvd. in Alva, Oklahoma. Booth space will be inside the Pete and Ruth Leslie Fieldhouse with a few outside on the lawn.
The festival will kick off Friday, May 31, from 4-9 p.m. and continue on Saturday, June 1, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Artists and crafters will be open for sale, and live entertainment will take place inside the building. Food trucks serving up BBQ, Mexican food, bratwursts, hamburgers, philly steaks, lemonade, sno cones, smoothies, pies and more will be located just south of the building both days, as well as plenty of family fun activities.
The third annual Sugar Show will take place on Friday and Saturday in the northwest corner classroom of the building with the annual Quilt Show showing off the talents of local quilters in a room on the north end of the building.
A traditional opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday will kick off the final day of the festival.
Several volunteer opportunities are available at this year’s festival. Please visit the SignUp Genius link at https://bit.ly/nesfest24volsignup if interested in helping in some capacity.
Booth space is still available if anyone would like to register as a fine artist, crafter or author. Space also is available for anyone wanting to register to compete in the Sugar Show. More information and registration forms are available at www.nescatunga.org.
Those participating in this year’s festival are listed below according to entries in Fine Art, Fine Arts AND Crafts, Crafts, and Student Entries. Each list is provided in alphabetical order.
Fine Art Entries:
Marcia Francine Campbell, Tulsa
She has entered oil & acrylic and mixed media. She said her paintings on canvas and paper reference events in history, nature and people as they live their daily lives. She is the wife of fellow festival artist Yusuf Etudaiye.
Yusuf Etudaiye, Tulsa
He is entered in pottery and sculpture. Etudaiye has attended the festival for several years and is known for handmade stoneware pottery with Afrocentric designs. The couple is only able to attend the festival on Saturday.
Salye Gorrell, Enid
She is entered in oil & acrylic, watercolor, pastels, mixed media and graphics/pen & ink/pencil. She paints in all media including woodburning. She is the festival’s 2023 Best of Show winner.
Josh Hinton, Pond Creek
He is entered in oil & acrylic.
Warren Little, Alva
He is entered in oil & acrylic, watercolor, pastels, mixed media, graphics/pen & ink/pencil. He’s a self-taught artist and can’t wait to try something new. He runs the “Old Man” Gallery in downtown Alva. Everyone is welcome to stop in as he’s open when he’s there.
Megan Moore, Ames
She has entered oil & acrylics, graphics/pen & ink/pencil and photography and will have a few paintings and pencil sketches. She also plans to have hand-drawn greeting/celebration cards.
Elliott Ridgway, Tulsa
He has participated in the festival since 2018. He has once again entered mixed media. He is the owner of Megalithic Mainframe, an Oklahoma game development studio founded in 2000 by two brothers making fangames. They incorporated in 2017, and since then, titles have been published to PC and consoles. He said their games feature rich stories, novel mechanics, and unique art styles. See more on the website at https://www.megalithic-mainframe.com.
Fine Art AND Handmade Crafts Entries:
JoDe Bradt, Alva
She has entered the fine arts categories of oil & acrylic, mixed media, and fiber arts, as well as bringing many craft items. She will have hand-tufted rugs, which is her current obsession, but said she also is always painting and creating a variety of things.
Angelia Case, Alva
She has entered in the fine arts categories of oil and acrylic, graphics/pen & ink/pencil; and photography, and will have many items for sale made from her artwork including larger and smaller prints of her original paintings, photography pieces, as well as fun puzzles, postcards and a food platter. She also will have various flavors of homemade jelly that she and her sister Valarie Case have made. Case serves as the registration chair for the Nescatunga Arts Festival.
Valarie Case, Alva
She has entered the fine arts categories of photography and mixed media, and also will have a few craft items. She has many photographs for sale taken in the Alva, Oklahoma, and northwest Oklahoma area, along with some images from vacation travels. Her mixed media pieces combine paper from junk mail catalogs and magazines and painted strips of paper. She also creates jewelry using paper beads made from junk mail catalogs, magazines, wrapping paper, etc. She combines the paper beads with purchased beads to create unique necklaces and earrings. She also will have glass and metal ornaments painted with alcohol inks. Case serves as the publicity and marketing chair for the Nescatunga Arts Festival.
Jennifer Croy, Yukon
She has entered the fine arts category of oil & acrylic and also is bringing crafts. She said her acrylic paintings are usually described as whimsical. She loves bright colors and subjects that make the viewer giggle adding that she’s a kid at heart and is inspired by the love of God and the beauty of His Creation. She will have originals, matted prints and printed canvas bags along with hand-painted apparel (denim jackets, hats , shoes and bags.) She can be found on Facebook and Instagram at seekallmyh3art.
Lezlie Gilbert, Enid
She has entered a full-sized quilt that she pieced into the fine arts category of fiber arts. She also will have several handmade craft items including microwave-safe bowl cozies, plate cozies, baked potato bags, quilts, throws, fold and stitch wreaths, and miscellaneous machine embroidery items, as well as glass cancer/disease/cause awareness ornaments.
April Kellman, McLoud
She is entered in the fine arts category of designer arts and jewelry and also will have craft jewelry.
Jill Longan, Perkins
She is entered in the fine arts category of fiber arts and will bring an assortment of craft items. She’ll have handmade goat soap, bags, key fobs, animals, purses, makeup bags, and other smaller sewn projects. She is the owner of Ginger and Peaches Sewing, LLC, which is a custom sewing business.
Amanda Ramirez, Carmen
She has entered photography and also plans to have craft items such as custom car freshies, handmade candy, keychains, room sprays and sugar scrubs. She also makes colorful air fresheners for cars and small rooms.
Jessica Reeves, Alva
She has entered into the fine arts categories of fiber arts with a pastel blanket and will have craft items such as crocheted items and fidget toys, bags, wearable bandanas, and more.
Mikel Robinson, Woodward (also author)
She is entering the categories of fine arts, crafts and also as an author. In fine arts, she is entered in oil and acrylic, photography, and designer arts & jewelry where she will have handmade genuine leather earrings, some abstract artwork along with photography prints and postcards. She also will have other craft jewelry. As an author, she will have the poetry chapbook, "For the Days We Spend in Hell." Her self-published book is available on Amazon, and she will have a few signed copies at her booth for sale.
Kristy San Soucie, Hardtner, Kansas
She is entered in the fine arts category with a watercolor painting titled "Family Portrait," along with various nature-themed watercolor paintings for sale and display. She also will have hand-crafted costume jewelry (earrings and necklaces) made with beads, faux leather, sequins and other embellishments. San Soucie is the vice president of the Nescatunga Arts and Humanities Council and has helped to organize the arts festival.
Katlin Smithey, Alva
She is entered in the fine arts category of designer arts and jewelry as well as the crafts categories of handmade decorative item, craft jewelry and home goods/accessories. She will have handmade nickel and hypoallergenic earrings, bracelets, keychains, crocheted scarfs, potholders, washcloths, dish scrubbies, resin poured small items, and 3D printed items. She also makes fresh bath salts in a variety of scents.
Blair Tillery, McLoud
She is entered in the fine arts category of designer arts and jewelry and handmade crafts of decorative items and jewelry. She will have beaded jewelry and jewelry made from natural materials such as stones, bone, and shell, along with UV resin work.
Handmade Craft Entries:
Better Together Creations/Cheesecake, Alva
Lonnie Sanders Jr. has entered the craft food category with cheesecake and also said they make toy car garages.
Jim and Beverly Blevins, Fairview
This couple plans to bring home décor using chalk contour stencils with pastel colors and ink.
Anissa Boor, Laverne (also Sugar Show)
She is bringing pies, cakes, and other goodies, as well as floral arrangements.
Vickie Bright, Enid
She is bringing diamond art purses, coasters, jewelry, bookmarkers and paintings.
Casey Canaan and sister Nikki Salisbury – “Crafty Sisters,” Alva
The sisters will have wreaths (clothespins), gnomes, ribbon dancers, pinecone trees, holiday items, button flowers, and baby items.
Madi Carey, Woodward
She is entering the handmade crafts categories of soft toys, handmade decorative items, home goods/accessories, and other. She will have crocheted items such as succulents, little plushies, coasters, flowers, keychains, and more.
Lorraine Case, Alva
She will have many types of handmade craft items including sock monkeys, hot pads, pot holders, neck coolers, closet safes, eyeglasses holders, crocheted hangers, jar openers, bookmarkers, terry cloth teddy bears and many other items.
Anne Haight, Alva
She is bringing wreaths for all occasions.
Phil Henderson, Enid
He makes a return to the festival after not being able to attend since the 50th anniversary show. He will have handmade wooden toys, such as acrobats, climbing toys, wands and more. No batteries required. They also will have macramé plant hangers, bowls made from record albums and other handmade items.
James McCaslin, Yukon
He is bringing what he calls “Wonky” birdhouses, wooden cars, trains and tractors, along with little kids' chairs.
Julie Osborn, Enid
She will have wood signs, sublimated signs, jewelry, coasters, mugs, fun buckets and containers with vinyl phrases. She said she has been a crafter for more than 20 years and participates in about 15 events per year in the Alva, Enid and Stillwater areas.
Lauri Paine, Pryor
She is bringing a variety of flavors of homemade pre-wrapped fudge.
Jami Pittman, Okmulgee
She will join her sister Jill Longan with her own craft booth offering hand-painted car freshies (hanging style, vent clip and car tins). She is the owner of Rogue Cat Creations.
Denaye Prigmore, Alva (also Sugar Show)
She will have homemade candies, cookies, breads, candles, and lemonade. She also is entered into the Sugar Show in the “Bake” section with sweet bread and fudge/candies.
Isabella Ridgway, Tulsa
She makes crocheted and knitted soft toys, decorations and accessories. Her website is https://knittly.store/. She also takes commissions if there is something novel a customer wants her to make.
Mary Riegel, Alva
She will have a variety of handmade (sewn, crocheted, etc.) home goods including potholders, kitchen scrubbers, quilts, baby blankets, and more.
Jem Stephens, Alva
He makes mad hatter hats and upcycles Nerf blasters into proper cosplay props.
April Stewart, Burlington
She will be bringing resin tumblers and keychains.
Student Entries:
Chloe Lehr, Alva
She said she plans to have household décor and signage, assorted baking mixes, hair and jewelry accessories, including headbands and earrings.
Eliza Liggenstoffer, Hardtner, Kansas
She has entered the fine arts category with oil and acrylic.
Eva Lopez-Castro, Oklahoma City
This is the first event for the high school student who loves to make crocheted animals and small pieces of jewelry like bracelets and necklaces out of stones and beads. She also loves to paint and draw. She said she likes to make flowers and animals with a giant octopus being what she is most proud of creating. She did it on commission and delivered it to her client right before the festival. She likes animals of all kinds – cats and bunnies especially – and hopes to make her booth themed around them.
Ingrid Maldonado, Alva
She is entering in the fine arts category of photography, which she described as beautifully captured and edited images that will last for infinity.
Beatriz Penaflor, Shattuck
She is entering the fine arts categories of oil and acrylic, watercolor, graphics/pen & ink/pencil. She said she has acrylic paintings on 8x10 or smaller canvas, watercolor paintings on canvas, and mixed media on paper. She also has digital graphics and comics.
Lucas San Soucie, Hardtner, Kansas
He has entered in the mixed media category with a diorama of a rest-stop bathroom.
Adrienne Simpson, Kiowa, Kansas
She has entered an acrylic painting of a cow painted with a variety of colors.
South Barber Junior High/High School Students Display, Kiowa, Kansas
The seventh through 12th-grade students of art teacher and Nescatunga Arts and Humanities Council vice president Kristy San Soucie will have a variety of artwork on display. Items will include oil and acrylics, watercolor, pastels, mixed media, graphics/pen & ink/pencil, printmaking and sculpture, as well as wood toys/furniture in the craft area.
Special Event Booths:
A few special event booths will be at this year’s festival including balloon animals, face painting, and representatives with the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge and NASA, who will be bringing children/adolescent activities.
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