LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Lexington resident and graphic design instructor at the University of Kentucky is getting closer to winning $10,000 and getting nationwide exposure.
What You Need To Know
- Contest had more than 7,000 submissions from 124 countries
- Hayli Strickland one of 25 remaining
- Prize is $10,000 and can featuring artwork
- Graphic designer is instructor at University of Kentucky
Hayli Strickland, 35, submitted her design to the Pabst 2022 Art Can Contest sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer. Over 7,000 submissions from 124 countries have been narrowed down to 25, which includes Strickland’s. The final 10 designs chosen will receive the prize money and have their artwork featured on millions of cans beginning this coming October.
“Winning this contest would certainly be a pinnacle to achieve in my career,” Strickland said. “I assume it may be the most famous I could become for design. However, I plan to pursue many things in my life, such as writing children’s books and designing for them, so I hope my name is even more recognized in the future for my design work.”
Strickland is an Eastern Kentucky University graduate and earned her graduate degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. She teaches at the University of Kentucky, focusing on graphic design. She is also a freelance designer and is pursuing user experience (UX) design.
Born in Michigan, Strickland migrated to Kentucky when she was young with her mother, a native of the Commonwealth. After she got her bachelor’s degree from EKU, she worked in Nashville, Tenn., for several years focusing on web design, and worked for Country Music Television (CMT) and other nationally known brands.
After deciding she wanted to teach, she earned her master’s and left Savannah to return to Kentucky. She then worked as an art director at the greeting card company, Wall Street greetings, and designed for several other companies, including Fortune 500 companies such as General Electric and Bank of America, organizations such as Major League Baseball, and everything from internationally known companies to mom-and-pop businesses. She has both produced photography and graphic design and her freelance years.
“Actually, I got involved in the Pabst contest in 2020 during the pandemic days,” she said. “I found out about it then and gave it a try and I never heard back. With this contest, my boyfriend and I made a pinky promise we would do these designs together. He did a few, and I did probably seven of them, but they actually chose my very first design, which happens a lot in my life.”
Strickland was teaching about psychedelic design when she submitted her work in the contest, which formulated the idea for her design.
“I was teaching about music and psychedelic design and posters and whatnot, so that led to this kind of thought process, this kind of crazy and kooky artistic drawing I made," she said.
Strickland obviously wants to make the final 10, but if that does not happen, she said she will still be proud of her accomplishment.
“Part of me is like if I don't win, I'm going to feel like a loser,” she said. “But getting this far, I should be happy about it. So, I have to keep that in mind.
Vote for Strickland’s design by tapping here.