Graham Iwao Haynes' distinctive and catchy poster has been selected as the official artwork for the 3rd annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration. His design was just one of the 20 entries in the annual AHSC poster contest. His artwork will also be featured on CBS Outdoor and Muni bus side advertisements, the AHSC's San Francisco Unified School District Student Art Awards and postcards promoting the May 19 event.

"Graham's images and colors are so striking that they just get seared into your brain," said Ted Fang of the AsianWeek Foundation. Haynes' design was inspired by Al Perez, the winner of last year's AHSC poster contest. "I was blown away by the way [Al Perez] incorporated the '2' into the design to signify the 2nd annual event - that's why I incorporated a '3' this year in the shape of a dragon," said Haynes. "I struggled at first to find a symbol that could appeal to diverse Asian groups, and in my research discovered that dragons are a common motif in Asian cultural traditions."

Haynes has a background in multicultural studies and a degree from UCLA's Department of Design | Media Arts. He recently formed the graphic design studio Simple Gestures in order to develop creative brand identities for corporate and grassroots causes. Currently, he is working on a series of identity projects, album cover designs and a book on the subject of graffiti. He has also been selected to design the poster for the 2007 Nihonmachi Street Fair.

His Japanese American grandfather Iwao Shimizu, a writer and artist, helped create the Hokubei Mainichi in Japantown. "My family continues to stay very active in the Japanese American community, which is why I'm most proud to win this contest," he said. "It makes me feel like I am carrying on their tradition through my work." To see Haynes' most recent work, visit www.simplegestures.net

Below are this year's poster entries.