XXXXXXX - Everyone goes to the fair for the rodeo, the cotton candy and the neon-lit midway. What you might be missing, though, is the local art.

You'll find the expected - Lego ATVs in the Youth building and pictures of grinning grandkids in the Photography building - as well as some art that could stand up against any in a fine gallery.

"I was really impressed by the artwork this year," said one of the youth judges. "You can really tell we have some good art teachers in this area. One or two of them (the students) could end up being famous one day."

The work is judged anonymously, and fair organizers asked the Times not to reveal the judges' names.

In the youth category, one of the fine-art "Best in Show" winners was Sara XXXXX, whose oil painting of lightning hitting a butte was inspired by an old calendar photograph.

"I for the most part do nature scenes. God's creation is so beautiful, and it's just right there for us to paint it," said Sara, 14, of XXXXX. She completed the painting as an assignment for the XXXXXXX 4-H club.

"I love using oil paints. They are so beautiful; you can do so many things with them," Sara said. She said she didn't have the most appropriate brushes for this painting, and had to use what was available. "They were very rough. For the paints I was using, you're really supposed to use softer, lighter brushes. It took a very long time to get the right amount of paint, and I'd run out of paint in the wrong places."

The youth judge noted that the painting was especially well done for Sara's age level.