MONROE - Although many of her fellow exhibitors are either younger or much older than her, open class exhibitor Shauna Bergemann feels at home at the Green County Fair.
Bergemann, a Monroe resident and amateur photographer, entered 20 items in the fair's open class exhibitions, 11 of which were photographs.
"I like to take pictures, and I love doing arts and crafts," Bergemann said. "Before I started submitting things to the fair, I would make stuff just for myself."
Bergemann started submitting exhibits to the fair four years ago, two years after her son, Ayden, became involved in the fair through 4-H.
"Last year my photography won best in show at the fair," Bergemann said. "I also submitted some pictures to the Monroe Arts Center last year, and they won best in show there, too."
Bergemann says she keeps many of her projects after fairs or gives them to family members as gifts. Once, Bergemann said she had to "borrow" a scrapbook she made for her mother to submit it as an exhibit.
Her son, meanwhile, submitted 31 projects this year in a variety of categories. Bergemann said she has encouraged Ayden, now 15, to continue to submit creative projects even after he leaves 4-H.
This year, several of Bergemann's photos won blue ribbons, in particular a striking photograph of a grain elevator at dusk with a bolt of lightning frozen mid-arc above it.
"Me and Ayden were driving along, and we both snapped pictures at the same time," Bergemann said.
Bergemann, who manages the Maple Leaf Cheese Store, said she took all of this year's photo submissions on her smartphone, an iPhone 6S that is a significant improvement from the film cameras she used in her youth.
"Now I usually just see something interesting, and I take a picture," Bergemann said, which, compared to the days she spent waiting for film to develop as a child, is incredibly convenient.
In addition to photography, Bergemann submitted several pieces of cultural art - including a patterned apron and artwork of Wisconsin - and several food items including applesauce, green beans - for which she won another blue ribbon - and a rhubarb-cherry pie.
Bergemann said she wasn't sure how many other parents also submit exhibits along with their children but acknowledged that most of her fellow exhibitors were of different generations - saying a friend of hers joked that for the baked goods open class, "it's us and then some 80-year-olds." However, Bergemann said she intends to keep submitting things to the fair even after her son ages out of 4-H.
"My submissions haven't gone to the state fair - yet," Bergemann said.
Bergemann, a Monroe resident and amateur photographer, entered 20 items in the fair's open class exhibitions, 11 of which were photographs.
"I like to take pictures, and I love doing arts and crafts," Bergemann said. "Before I started submitting things to the fair, I would make stuff just for myself."
Bergemann started submitting exhibits to the fair four years ago, two years after her son, Ayden, became involved in the fair through 4-H.
"Last year my photography won best in show at the fair," Bergemann said. "I also submitted some pictures to the Monroe Arts Center last year, and they won best in show there, too."
Bergemann says she keeps many of her projects after fairs or gives them to family members as gifts. Once, Bergemann said she had to "borrow" a scrapbook she made for her mother to submit it as an exhibit.
Her son, meanwhile, submitted 31 projects this year in a variety of categories. Bergemann said she has encouraged Ayden, now 15, to continue to submit creative projects even after he leaves 4-H.
This year, several of Bergemann's photos won blue ribbons, in particular a striking photograph of a grain elevator at dusk with a bolt of lightning frozen mid-arc above it.
"Me and Ayden were driving along, and we both snapped pictures at the same time," Bergemann said.
Bergemann, who manages the Maple Leaf Cheese Store, said she took all of this year's photo submissions on her smartphone, an iPhone 6S that is a significant improvement from the film cameras she used in her youth.
"Now I usually just see something interesting, and I take a picture," Bergemann said, which, compared to the days she spent waiting for film to develop as a child, is incredibly convenient.
In addition to photography, Bergemann submitted several pieces of cultural art - including a patterned apron and artwork of Wisconsin - and several food items including applesauce, green beans - for which she won another blue ribbon - and a rhubarb-cherry pie.
Bergemann said she wasn't sure how many other parents also submit exhibits along with their children but acknowledged that most of her fellow exhibitors were of different generations - saying a friend of hers joked that for the baked goods open class, "it's us and then some 80-year-olds." However, Bergemann said she intends to keep submitting things to the fair even after her son ages out of 4-H.
"My submissions haven't gone to the state fair - yet," Bergemann said.