Young artists win big at the fair

CHILD PRODIGIES—Local student winners at the Ventura County Fair pose with their masterpiecesOak Park resident Hannah Mikell is only 8 years old, but already an excellent painter, as she recently proved.

Hannah won three first place ribbons in the oil painting group at the Ventura County Fair’s Youth Art Expo in Ventura.

Hannah received ribbons for Best in Class—best oil in her age group and Best in Division—best piece of work in Fine Arts in her age group.

“Painting is really a passion for her, something she really loves to do,” said her mother, Vicky Mikell.

Hannah is a student of Michael Ward Studio in Agoura Hills, which has been teaching art to the youth in the area for over 40 years.

Other area students from the school who won ribbons include the following:

Claire Bright, 11, Agoura Hills: Best of Class

Hadar Weisber, 9, Oak Park: Department Award

Emily Bayer, 15, Agoura: Best of Division

Yee Ting Wu, 13, Oak Park; Sierra Chartier, 8, Agoura Hills; and Mackenzie Massey, 10, Agoura Hills: Judges Award

The 130th annual Ventura County Fair at the Ventura County Fairgrounds at Seaside Park ended Aug. 15. Fair officials report total attendance was over 300,000, an increase of more than 4,200 over last year.