Local artist Mary Polt claimed First Place and Best of Show with two of her entries this year, A Year in Bloom and Pearls of the Tide. Congratulations, Mary!
"It was really exciting to have such success in the Creative Arts division of the Coastal Carolina Fair. I love creating mixed media art and learning new art styles and techniques. I enjoy providing private and group art lessons to the special needs community, and am the owner of Paintastic Creations LLC. Teaching art inspires me to practice my skills." - Mary
Honored at the Coastal Carolina Fair with First Place and the exhibition’s Best of Show award, this work was celebrated for its artistry, technical execution, and thematic depth. This work explores the rhythm of nature through the changing seasons. Each quadrant reflects a distinct emotional tone - winter’s stillness, spring’s renewal, summer’s vitality, and autumn’s graceful transition. Through hand-shaped paper forms and layered textures, A Year in Bloom invites you to reflect on the beauty of transformation and the ever-evolving passage of time.
This piece received both First Place and Best of Show at the Coastal Carolina Fair, recognized for its intricate detail, innovative use of materials, and expressive storytelling. This sculptural stingray was hand-built using a cardboard and paper mâché base, painted with iridescent acrylics to capture the shimmer of ocean light. The surface is finished with over 7,000 individually placed glass pearls, rhinestones, and metallic beads, applied one at a time using precision beadwork techniques. Inspired by the graceful movement of marine life, this piece is an exploration of texture, depth, and dimension through bead art.
Bella truly was the belle of the ball at the Coastal Carolina Fair this year, claiming THREE first place prices and TWO second place prizes!
Paper quilled bouquet - 1st place
Moo portrait painting - 1st place
Shark paper mâché - 1st place
Moo drawing in frame - 2nd place
Koi fish painting - 2nd place
Wow! That's a lot of prizes. Way to go, Bella!
What inspired this artwork?
I had been looking for a great art adventure, and I finally was inspired by my friend to start a paper-mâché art project, I chose a shark. Also, I have been working on pet portraits for the past two years, and my amazing dog Moo inspired me to make one of her.
How did it feel to see your work displayed at the fair? And then to find out you won a prize!
I felt so honored to have my art in the fair. Looking at it made me realize how far I have come as an artist. Seeing those first place ribbons on my artwork made me so happy, especially after how hard I worked on them!
What kind of art do you like making the most?
I'm not too sure what my favorite kind of art is. I love art in general, but I think my favorite thing is indulging in any type of art I can find. I love trying new art styles and exploring new mediums.
What do you think your art tells people about who you are?
I think if someone saw my art in the fair, they would acknowledge my time and dedication that I put into my artwork and know that I love the color pink!
What would you like to make next, if you could create anything you wanted?
I'm hoping to enter a big mixed media piece into the fair next year!
This little southern belle won FIRST place with her entry, Mr. Mouse, an adorable plushie that she made herself! She also entered a painting, Cat in a Strawberry, which we are so honored to publish. Thank you so much, Violet!
What inspired this artwork?
Last year I made a very similar bear plushie, so I wanted to improve my work and have people view my improvement.
How did it feel to see your work displayed at the fair? And then to find out you won a prize!
When I saw that I got the 1st place ribbon, I was very excited and pumped! I will definitely put something in the fair next year.
What kind of art do you like making the most?
The art styles I enjoy most are sketching and sewing.
What do you think your art tells people about who you are?
I think that my art tells people about my creativity and my patience.
What would you like to make next, if you could create anything you wanted?
If I could create anything I wanted, I would make a realistic painting or another plushy that’s better and more realistic, like a Douglas brand plushie.
