Braxton Curry graduated from Pittsburg State University in December, having earned a bachelor of science degree in graphic communications.
It didn’t take her long to make her first mark in her post-college career.
The Iola native’s design was picked this week by Iola’s Community Involvement Task Force-PRIDE members as the winner in a citywide billboard drawing contest.
Curry’s design is a relatively simple one, with the word “IOLA” written in thick block letters, with each letter illustrating various community attractions, including imagery of the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, the courthouse clock, Iola’s trails and the downtown business district.
“My main goal was to make sure the billboard celebrated all that Iola has to offer by highlighting some of our iconic landmarks,” Curry told the Register in an email. “I wanted the design to entice people driving down the highway to stop and explore the town. That idea stayed at the front of my mind throughout the design process.”
It took her about a week to come up with the initial concept, followed by a few small revisions after her first submission.
Her aim was to keep the messaging simple, so it could be viewed by drivers passing by at highway speed
Committee members opened up the design contest to anyone in the community, drawing 27 such submissions.
A public vote winnowed the choices down to three, which then went to the CITF members for a final vote.
Next up is to review costs, said Renee Shaughnessy, CITF/PRIDE member, and fundraising. The group hopes to have the new billboards in place sometime this spring.
The group plans to replace the billboards every three to five years, Shaughnessy said.
“We want to keep it updated, and also want to get more artists involved,” she said.
The two billboards are north and south of Iola on U.S. 169.
NOW THAT she’s graduated, Curry, daughter of Iolans Heath and Heather Curry, is back home looking for a full-time position in southeast Kansas. She runs a freelance design business, where she works with clients on logo and brand identity design, marketing and promotional materials, social media graphics and other design needs.
