Cranberry Township resident Brannon Wellington, a graduate of the Seneca Valley Class of 2007, placed third regionally in the 2007 Art Institute and Americans for the Arts poster competition. Wellington won a $1,500 scholarship to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where he will study graphic design.

CRANBERRY TWP — For Brannon Wellington, life is better with art in it.

The township resident illustrated the slogan and took third place in this year's poster design competition, sponsored by the Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts.

"There're so many ways art can be interpreted," said Wellington, 18.

For his efforts, the 2007 Seneca Valley graduate was awarded a $1,500 scholarship to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Art comes naturally to Wellington, who said he attended every art class Seneca Valley Senior High School had to offer — nine total — fairly filling his schedule for two years.

High school art teacher Jim Nagle prompted Wellington to enter the competition, though he only had about a week to create a poster, he said.

After generating three or four designs, Wellington enlisted classmate Jenna McMullan to model in a photo shoot.

The featured photograph of McMullan, listening to digital music, was digitally enhanced and evolved into the final design incorporating multi-colored panels and the slogan, "Life is Better with Art In It."

"With all the panels stacked on top of each other to make one final image, it represents the process of putting a work together from individual happenings," said Wellington in his designer statement.

He added that he wanted McMullan to be listening to music because it is a type of art and "frequently a source of inspiration."

Despite it's complexity, Wellington said the poster took only a few hours to complete.

"Absolutely, the posters get better every year," said Carrie Butler, director of public relations for the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

The poster design competition was created to recognize, encourage and reward high school seniors interested in graphic design.

"I think it has a lot to do with this generation having so much more information and knowledge available through the Internet and more and more professional development with their high school teachers."

In addition to the poster, Wellington designed T-shirts for Seneca Valley's homecoming in 2006 and senior project in 2007, which were printed for the entire senior class.

He also designed and painted a giant mural inspired by Michelangelo's "David," which he painted over an art classroom door and hallway bulkhead.