UNITY, Maine — A praying mantis on a pumpkin patch. A rooster letting it rip. A team of draft bulls dressed to impress. Each year a new design is chosen to represent the Common Ground Country Fair. And like a concert T-shirt, the original artwork is a coveted keepsake emblazoned on posters, shirts and even onesies. They sell out fast.
When the agricultural celebration opens for the 39th year on Friday, a frolicsome goat munching on wheat and clover will wink at passers-by from all corners. The fair’s organizer, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, selects one design from scores of entries that captures the rural magic of Maine. Though hard to determine a single image for the wide-ranging fest, “we look for something that conveys that good feeling,” said fair director April Boucher.
This year, winning artist Arika von Edler, a College of the Atlantic alum, drew from experience. She worked on organic farms in Maine for years and based the painting on a goat she encountered on a friend’s dairy farm — Udder View in Columbia.
“I painted the entire thing with one paint brush,” said von Edler, which helped created a fuzzy, furry look via acrylics.