Izabel enters the open class art show

I thought I was done with the hot sticky county fair when I no longer had to help man the "Don't Meth up your life" booth at the Logan, Washington, Morgan and all points in between fairs.   Which was worse, being stuck in the rooms under the stands in Logan where there was no breeze and it was at least 900 degrees, or the microgust that took out the tents and nearly Matt with them in Washington County?  Now we have been there all weekend in Douglas County - at least they have a/c!

When we joined 4-H they gave us a packet with welcome information.  Somehow it seems to always be missing the information I would like to know.  Some things I have asked around and people just stare at me like "Why do cows always seem to siddle up to the fence post? What the heck are they thinking?"  When I was commuting to Sterling there was always this field with some sortof political sign, a big one, I have no idea who it was advertising since the cows were always leaning up against it.  Yes it may be for shade but a fence post does not provide shade.  It took me almost a year before I was brave enough to ask someone what a pivot is.  I always thought it was like the round-a-bouts you see when driving in Massachusetts.

Anyway, I open the "Douglas County Fair Premium Book" on my computer.  I am thinking 'premium' must be like a more informative better book then their sub-premium book.  I see they have something called 'open class'.  Oh, they must be teaching something.  Have I completely embarrassed all my friends who embrace the rural life, yet?  No, it is the competitions, picture who grew the best sugar beet or makes the best cookie.  Well Izabel did well at the National Western Stock Show art competition and it would be a fun thing to do in the summer so I asked her if she would like to enter something.  She did and decided to play on the theme of the fair which is something like get on your cowboy boots and find your country roots.
She used watercolors, then some watercolors and tempera paints on paper which she cut out and glued down a la Ezra Jack Keets (she was also inspired by Albrecth Durer's "The Great Piece of Turf" which she learned about in Art class).  She then used a colored pencil to draw in a few details.  She titled the painting "Close-up on the Farmer's Farm".  The title of the stock show painting was "Farmer's Farm".   We will not know how it did until later this week when we get a chance to visit the show after the judging.
P.S. I am still trying to figure out what a premium is.  According to the book they pay a premium to the winners too.  I figure that if they don't pay anything then it goes back into the pot for next year since the fine arts premium was $3 and the weed display premium was $30.