Student entry wins design competition

An aurora-inspired design by a graphic design student at the University of Alaska Anchorage aced the competition to design Alaska’s new “Artistic License Plate.”

The design by Anita Laulainen of Palmer received the most votes as more than 17,000 Alaskans voted on their favorite of five designs chosen by a panel of celebrity judges from 142 submissions.

The artistic license plate competition is a partnership between the Alaska State Council on the Arts, Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles and Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, D-Sitka, who offered his congratulations to Laulainen, with thanks to the jurors and everyone who voted.

Kreiss-Tomkins said he was “excited that Alaska’s hundreds of thousands of license plates have the potential to transform into miniature six-inch by 12-inch canvases of beautiful aurora borealis-inspired art.”

The plate featuring Laulainen’s design will be produced by DMV for the next four years, until the state council on the arts holds the next competition. The plates will be available for Alaskans to purchase in early summer 2018. Proceeds will be reinvested into artistic and cultural programs by ASCA in a continuing effort to diversify revenue and advance Alaska’s creative industry.

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