SCOUTING AROUND: Locals among best at Mountain State Fair

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  • Rachael Linton Ritchie holds her award-winning sliced hot peppers in vinegar at the N.C. Mountain Fair. Photo courtesy of Rachel Linton Ritchie
    Rachael Linton Ritchie holds her award-winning sliced hot peppers in vinegar at the N.C. Mountain Fair. Photo courtesy of Rachel Linton Ritchie
  • David Vowell shows off some of his favorites from the anti-litter posters on display at the Murphy Art Center this month.
    David Vowell shows off some of his favorites from the anti-litter posters on display at the Murphy Art Center this month.
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    Several local ladies earned bragging rights as what they created were determined to be among the best in the mountains at the N.C. Mountain State Fair from Sept. 6-15. Rachael Linton of Unaka was the big winner, as her sliced hot peppers in vinegar won both Best in Show and Judge's Choice.
    "I was super delighted," Linton said. "There were hundreds and hundreds of jars ... I was very surprised."
    She entered 12 products in the preserved foods department, and earned an additional nine ribbons. She earned first-place ribbons for pickles, hot peppers in vinegar (whole), fruit chutney, citrus marmalade, marmalade and single fruit jam. She earned second-place ribbons for plum jam and rhubarb jam, and a third-place ribbon for blueberry jam.
    Linton, an amateur gardener and canner who moved to Unaka in 2010, owns Unaka Trading Co. She recently started selling her Beaver Dam Jam products in local businesses and markets.
    She was inspired to enter her products in the fair after seeing that other canners she knew through social media were entering their products in their local fairs. That’s when she learned about the Mountain State Fair.
    Linton didn't know what to expect, but thought the fair was "nicely done" and even made her more interested in canning. She said all the staff and volunteers were encouraging. "Without them being so enthusiastic and professional, I'm sure half the exhibition hall would not exist," Linton said.
    Several amateur artists taking a realistic painting class at Tri-County Community College also earned ribbons for their work at the fair.
    In amateur watercolor, Bonnie Wootner received the first-place ribbon, while classmates Aileen Gardner and Karen Haas were awarded second- and third-place ribbons, respectively. Loralynne Schneider was given the third-place ribbon for amateur acrylic.
    Haas won a second-place ribbon for her watercolor art in the fair last year. This year, her husband, Steve, collected art from the class to submit to the fair. Out of eight entries, four caught the judges' eyes as winners.
    Haas credited their teacher, Rae Foerster, for the group's overall success and growth as artists. She said the class is like a family.
    "She's a wonderful teacher, and we love her very much," Haas said. "I wanted to make the teacher proud."
    And they did.
    "I am so proud of them. It's unbelievable," Foerster said. "It puts a feather in my hat that I was able to pass on what I know to them."
    She said their success was also a testament to the continuing education opportunities at the college. She hopes to see more students enter the fair next year.
    Linton would also like to see more people from Cherokee County showing the best of what the area produces at the fair.
    "Certainly, we have wonderful, creative people here," she said.
    The Mountain State Fair celebrates the people, agriculture, art and traditions of the region. Those wishing to enter competitions must submit online entry forms by the appropriate deadline in the summer.

Two exhibits open at MAC
    Murphy – In September, the Cherokee County Arts Council's Cultural Calendar Room at the Murphy Art Center will host two very different exhibits.
    One exhibit is Abstraction! featuring the work of Sarah Worsham. Executive Director David Vowell said the arts council has a responsibility to support growing artists like Worsham. Since space was available for the month, he gave her an opportunity to show 11 of her newest pieces.
    "Sarah has become a local artist who keeps growing in her abilities," Vowell said.
    The pieces are all acrylic paintings, using either brushes, palette knives or even her fingers and feet. The two poured acrylic paintings are the only ones not available for purchase. Her work was previously on display at the center in another abstract art exhibit featuring several artists in January.
    The other exhibit shows 37 entries for the N.C. Litter-free Coalition's anti-litter poster contest. The contest was open to both adults and children across the country, and includes entries from as far away as Oregon.
    Vowell saw a variety of skill level, and even thought some of the posters would be suitable for T-shirts.
    “The whole collection shows school students can be interested in a cause that gets overlooked," he said.
    The arts council will be judging the entries later this month, when prizes will be given out in each age group.
    Samantha Sinclair is the Scouting Around columnist for the Cherokee Scout. You can reach her by email, scoutingaround@cherokeescout.com; fax, 837-5832; or by leaving a message in the office.