Logo announced to represent MAYO

Just as the local Musical Arts Youth Orchestra tuned its instruments before a concert Sunday evening, Julia Copeland, its founder and president, announced an unveiling in the lobby during intermission. As a crowd of people gathered in the tiny lobby of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, there was a buzz about the organization's soon-to-been-unveiled logo. The first-place design in the logo contest would become MAYO's new identity.\nFirst-place winner Terry Howe, an established freelance graphic designer in Bloomington, graduated from IU in 1991 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design. After entering designs that won both first place and first runner-up, he received a $200 gift certificate to Pygmalion's and other certificates as well. \nHearing about the contest through the Bloomington Area Arts Council, Howe said he tries to stay active in the community. \n"(MAYO) is a very good program for the kids, and I thought I'd put my mark on it," he said. "Making a difference in that sort of way." \nHis community involvement also includes working with the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival the last few years. \nAlthough the contest is not an annual event, MAYO's leaders saw it as a way to raise awareness about the organization and attract community support. With the tag line of "Playing for the Future," this logo competition was open to all artists of any age or profession. There was only one requirement: "(All) entries reflect the enthusiastic spirit of the musicians and demonstrate excellence in design and concept," said Virginia Anderson, the contest's coordinator.\nEveryone in the community was encouraged to enter, especially IU students and faculty, as well as local youth and professional artists. Much of the contest promotion came through the BAAC and IU's graphic design department. With 13 submissions from artists ranging from young Bloomington residents to professional graphic designers, Copeland said the contest was a success. \nBloomington community members judged the competition. Brian Garvey, senior graphic designer of the IU Art Museum; Rick Faris, art director of the IU Office of Communications and Marketing; Miah Michaelsen, gallery director of BAAC; and Copeland herself composed the panel. They carefully considered all entries through a blind judging process.\nSecond runner-up was graphic design BFA student Jennifer Rose, who received a $50 gift certificate. Honorable mentions went to Mike Cagle, Grzegorz Graczkowski and senior graphic design student Cassie Wright. Entrants were not entirely Bloomington-based -- Graczkowski is from Warsaw, Poland, and had learned about the contest through MAYO's Web site at www.bloomington.in.us/~mayo.\nMAYO is a local, nonprofit organization that offers student members of the community, from elementary school to college, instruction, practice and performance experience as musicians, according to the Web site. Directed by Thomas Loewenheim, a doctoral student from the IU School of Music, and "coached" by both IU students and community members, the orchestra receives a wide base of instructional support. \nMAYO's former logo was designed by Copeland early in the organization's life out of necessity for a public identity. With the success of the contest, MAYO now has a more memorable face.\n"We were very pleased with the high quality of the entries. Bloomington is very well endowed with talented artists," Anderson said. "The winning logo will give us an easily recognizable identity, a handsome design with useful appeal."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Elizabeth Wepler at ewepler@indiana.edu.