Awarded to Chi Chi and Cubana in the 2007 California State Fair Fine Art Competition The Crystal Award of Excellence Out of nearly 2,000 entrants in 2007, only 188 were selected for awards and exhibition. Of these, thirty Awards of Excellence were awarded. I was the singular artist, of any medium, awarded the maximum of three awards in 2007. Click here to see my Awards of Merit. The California State Fair has been exhibiting fine art since it first opened in 1884. It has conducted juried competition since the 1940's. It is the largest art competition in the state of California, and one of the most prestigious fine art competitions in the US.