Featured artist enjoys allure of 50th Annual Arts for All Festival

With small drops of rain falling, a tradition that follows with every year’s festival in Shepler Square Park, featured artist Ed Hoosier sat back inside his tent filled with his paintings mid-Saturday afternoon.

Save for its first year, legend has it rain has fallen every Mother’s Day weekend at one point or another during the annual favorite event. So why break tradition for the 50th Annual Arts for All Festival?

Hoosier, a Lawton-based Native American artist who designed this year’s t-shirts featuring a trio of brightly colored buffalo, this has been a first experience for him.

“I’ve never done one before,” he said. “It’s been good so far.”

Hoosier designed the image and then helped print them from his job at Stantons Apparel. Then, he said, he was invited to set up a booth where his paintings featuring a mix of modern and traditional Native American imagery are on display.

With thousands of people making their way around the park area, rain or shine it’s been a good time, according to Hoosier.

“I’ve sold a couple of paintings,” he said. “I’ve met a lot of really friendly people.”

They were everywhere, perusing a variety of arts and crafts booths featuring artists from throughout the region. Joined with the food trucks, face painting, caricatures and more, not to mention music and dancing at the stages on each end of the park, there was something for everyone.

Near the Lawton Farmers Market Alexis Thompson was putting on a teaching event for the young visitors. Decked out in her butterfly sunglasses and glittery performer’s outfit, she was teaching a variety of kids the tricks with the hula hoop.

A member of the Inspiral Circus from Oklahoma City, Thompson’s area of expertise proved a hit for the young hula hoopers-in-training.

“I’m the hoopologist,” she said, “and bubbleologist.”

Returning to Hoosier, with hours to go and another day ahead, catching a moment to sit down and take it all in was a treasure in its own right.

“Man, I’m tired and I’ve got 5 ½-hours to go today,” he said. “For an old man, this is tough.”

But the smile on his face showed it’s a good tough for this year’s featured artist.