A national historical treasure – the Pony Express – meets 2010 graphic design tools in the selected Trails West!® 2010 artwork.

In December 2009, the Allied Arts Council of St. Joseph requested artistic interpretations of the 2010 Trails West!® theme: the 150^th Anniversary of the Pony Express. Several entries were received, ranging from oil painting, collages and computer-generated graphic designs. Jared Greer, employed at Brown Transfer and Storage, submitted the winning design – a colorful, modern take on a classic piece of St. Joseph’s history.

Greer’s piece will be the theme of all Trails West!® 2010 graphic work, including t-shirts, buttons and marketing materials. He also receives a $500 cash prize from the Allied Arts Council. Greer explains he has always had an interest in art, and has an associate’s degree in commercial art from Hawkey Community College, Waterloo, Ia.

“The contest allowed me a reason to get back into designing,” says Greer. “I haven't worked on anything commercially for a few years and I was missing it a bit.”

Computer-based design products, such as Adobe, were used to create the winning piece. Greer’s inspiration for the piece began with a general interest in “being creative for the sake of being creative. So I entered the competition,” he says. “I also wanted to represent both tradition and modern art ideals, with use of color and stylized graphics.”

He recently submitted entries on a design contest web site, and could compete, if selected, for logo designs for some larger scale companies. “It’s all in fun, at this point,” says Greer.

“I'd like to continue working on designs and other art projects on some level with kids. I think it's important that kids have a creative outlet. Or everyone for that matter,” says Greer.

Trails West!® 2010 is Aug. 20-22^nd at Civic Center Park in historic downtown St. Joseph, Mo.  Now in its 18^th year, Trails West!^® is an arts festival celebrating the unique cultural heritage of St. Joseph. A program of the Allied Arts Council, the festival is coordinated by a volunteer steering committee, and receives financial assistance from the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of St. Joseph, and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

For those who aren't personally familiar with the Festival: it's a 3-day arts festival that celebrates the arts and St. Joseph’s unique cultural heritage. With over 80 different events, you'll find concerts, art and craft exhibits, children’s activities and more. For more information, visit trailswest.org.

OUR MISSION: Trails West! ^® is an annual arts festival celebrating the unique cultural heritage of St. Joseph, MO. The interpretation of this heritage will include arts and crafts, music, reenactments, demonstrations, presentations, historic architecture, food, games and drama in ways that will appeal to people of all ages, income levels and interests. St. Joseph’s significant role in the expansion of the American West, especially the years before 1900, will be emphasized.

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