A 10-year-old boy from Wilburton who has a passion for photography was this year’s winner of the Vision Eufaula’s art competition.

Paxson Ganz began using a hand-me-down Canon Rebel camera two years ago and has been snapping pictures of livestock and scenery ever since, winning multiple competitions around the state – starting with a Latimer County 4-H project.

Saturday, he won $500 as the first-place winner at the Second Annual Vision Eufaula Wine and Art Festival.

Paxson said he plans to buy a new lens for his camera with his winnings.

He and his mother, Brandee, began studying photography together.

“We’ve been doing it together,” she said.

The collaboration has paid off handsomely for the young man, who routinely sells his pictures to an admiring public.

Paxson was the unanimous choice of the seven judges who chose his art above dozens of other artists who set up booths at the festival, which was held at 150 Front St.

Second place and $300 went to Tahlequah silversmith/ jeweler Mary Lou Christie.

Watercolor artist Susan Nelson of Norman came in third, winning $200.

In addition to dozens of artists displaying a wide variety of disciplines for art fans, this year wine and beer played a bigger role in the festival.

Last year two wineries offered samplings of their wares.

This year five wineries, two breweries and one distillery showcased what they had to offer, much to the delight of a thirsty crowd.

This year’s event attracted more than 500 fans, who were greeted by pleasant weather, a variety of food trucks and talented artists from around the state.

“The artists put their heart and soul into their work,” said festival spokesperson Lynnsey deMontigny.

This year there was no new mural to admire.

The festival is looking for an appropriate place to put a mural in the days ahead.

There was a work of art on canvas, a paintby- the number project by Oklahoma City artist Jack Fowler.

Three years ago, Fowler created the humorous turkey mural on the old jail on Front Street.

Last year he created six paint-by-the number canvases of historic figures from Eufaula, giving folks the chance to participate in creating works of art for the festival.

Three of those canvases, of Lucious, Dewey and Lee Roy Selmon are at Eufaula High School.

This year Fowler’s paint-by-the-numbers project was of JC Watts, done on a 5-ft by 5 ft canvas and painted by a local group during the festival.

The painting will be hung at City Hall sometime in the weeks ahead.

DeMontigny said the festival was flawless this year, aided by pleasant weather.

“We were very happy with how it went,” she said. “But we hope to have more kids participate next year.”

This year a tent was set up by the library where kids participated in balloon art and face painting.

Entertainment for the festival was provided by local sensation, vocalist Ava Rose Johnson (a Eufaula High School student); Brandt Spivey and Chet; members of The Pride of Eufaula Band; and by the Last Call Band There were lots of dogs at this year’s event, with many of the furbabies lapping up Gelato’s, an ice-cream like dessert for dogs from Lake Dog.