Judges' choice: The pastel portrait of an old Tibetan woman earned Johanna Arrendondo, 17, best of class and best of show in the Student Showcase Pastel Division.

Background: Johanna, a Rancho Peñasquitos resident who recently graduated from Westview High School, said she tried to capture the emotion in the woman's eyes.

How she got started: She drew a little when she was younger, but she credits Westview High teacher Keith Opstad for being her art mentor and helping her pay attention to detail in her work.

Comment: “Next year, I will be attending the University of Arts in Philadelphia. I'm a dancer, so I'm going to be majoring in dance, but I'm still going to take art classes and continue to draw and paint.”

Tip for learning more: Start with a really simple class that teaches the basics – shapes and lines – then move on to shading and details.

TODAY'S PICKS

Summer Concert Series: An Evening with Fergie, 7:30 p.m., $35 to $131, includes fair admission.

Summer of Sports Exhibit: San Diego Aztecs Day features former Padre and Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn at 2 p.m.

Highlights: Debbora's Terrific Tappers, 11 a.m., San Diego Showcase Stage; pie-eating contest, noon, Plaza Stage; Wild Child (The Doors tribute band), 9 p.m., Coors Light Rock On Stage.

FAIR FACTS

Through July 6 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Gates are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission: adults, $12; seniors 62 and older, $6; children 6 to 12, $6; children 5 and younger, free.

Information: (858) 793-5555; (858) 755-1161; www.sdfair.com/fair.

On-site parking: cars and motorcycles, $9; recreational vehicles, $15; preferred parking, $15, no motor homes.

Off-site parking: free, with shuttles from 9 a.m. to midnight. Del Mar Horsepark, 14550 El Camino Real, daily; MiraCosta College San Elijo campus and Torrey Pines High School, weekends and July 4.

Public transportation: hourly buses to and from Escondido Transit Center. A shuttle between the Solana Beach Train Station and the fair leaves every 25 minutes. Passengers with a Breeze bus or Coaster train ticket receive a $1.75 fair admission discount at the west gate. Information: (760) 966-6500 or www.gonctd.com

NEWSROOM AT THE FAIR

The San Diego Union-Tribune's  Newsroom at the Fair exhibit is in the Paddock Lounge next to Plaza de Mexico near the Grandstand entrance.

Meet Todd Merriman, director of news, from 1 to 4 p.m.; Mark Davis, vice president of strategy and Internet operations, 2 to 4 p.m.

Explore the technology that brings you the daily newspaper, Today's Local News,  Enlace,  multimedia site SignOnSanDiego.com and AmplifySD.com, the all-San Diego music online radio station.

Tune to “U-T in the Community” and “Community Spotlight” on SignOn Radio LIVE, hosted by Drew Schlosberg on Tuesdays and Fridays (except July 4).

Online: For fair news and information, go to fair.uniontrib.com