The quiet corner of the Imperial Valley Mid-Winter Fair’s art exhibit burst with emotion this year, thanks to a striking black-and-white portrait that captured the judges’ eyes and the hearts of fairgoers.
The piece, a charcoal drawing of a young girl dressed in lace and adorned with flowers, earned local artist James Amidon the coveted Best of Show award.
“I just liked the old-fashioned look about it,” Amidon said of the vintage photograph that inspired the piece. “The lace in her hair, the flowers — it had a timeless quality that really spoke to me.”
Though the subject remains anonymous, Amidon’s careful rendering of every delicate detail made it a standout.
A resident of the Imperial Valley since 1966, Amidon moved to Calipatria as a child when his family relocated from Downey. He spent hours after school teaching himself to draw.
“We didn’t really have an art teacher, so I’d come home and draw for hours,” he said. “It was something I knew I wanted to do even when I was five years old.”
Now 69 and recently retired, Amidon is diving headfirst into his lifelong passion.
“It’s just a personal journey I’m on now,” he said. “I’m trying to catch up on the art I never got to do.”
He primarily works in charcoal and colored pencil, often creating hyper-realistic portraits that reflect both precision and heart.
While he submitted only one piece to this year’s fair — the Best of Show winner — his portfolio includes a range of striking works, including a vivid portrait of Carlos Santana.
“I really thought Carlos might have done better,” Amidon said. “It’s very colorful. His vest had a lot of detail that I really enjoyed capturing.”
But it was the soft, nostalgic black-and-white portrait that won over judges and viewers alike.
“I try not to rush. I want people to look at my work and say, ‘He really took his time with that,’” Amidon said. “There’s a lot of subtle shading and details — especially in the lace — that I really wanted to get right.”
Amidon doesn’t sell his work. Instead, he gifts many of his pieces to his children as heirlooms.
“They’re a piece of me,” he said. “I want them to have something that shows who I was and what I loved doing.”
The 2025 Imperial Valley Mid-Winter Fair, held from February 28 to March 16, celebrated local culture, creativity and community spirit. This year marked the fair’s expansion to three full weeks of entertainment, rides, food and exhibitions, drawing families and visitors from across the region.
The art exhibit, a long-standing tradition at the fair, was a particular highlight. In addition to being displayed at the fairgrounds, award-winning pieces — including Amidon’s — are being showcased in the Blue and Red Ribbon Art Exhibit at the Pioneers’ Museum, which started March 19 and runs through April 2. The extension offers the community another opportunity to appreciate the range and talent of local artists.
Though Amidon doesn’t currently have plans for more shows, he hopes to return to painting soon.
“I started out painting billboards on the highway,” he said. “I’ve done murals, colored pencil, charcoal… I’m still experimenting, still learning. Even at this age.”
What keeps him going? “The challenge,” Amidon said. “Each piece has to feel like a challenge — something that pushes me. That’s what makes it worth doing.”
To view more of James Amidon’s artwork, follow him on Instagram at @Brushes55, or he can be reached at [email protected]