Artist and illustrator Harlan West of Westlake Village was awarded $1,500 recently for creating the design that was chosen as the official poster of the 26th annual California Strawberry Festival, scheduled for May 16 and 17 in Oxnard.

West's poster features a largerthanlife strawberry topped with an umbrella hat that is sunning itself along the strawberry coast and surrounded by rolling hills of berries, arts and crafts booths, and a bevy of revelers, dancers and musicians.

"I used vivid colors and intricate detail to capture a cultural connection and spirit of the celebration that brings people together from throughout the Southland," West said.

"With the variety of submissions every year, it seems our selection process gets tougher and tougher," festival chair Billy Belcher said. "We feel this year's poster image offers an exciting 'snapshot' and collection of the fun and festivities in store for festival attendees."

Janis Brock of Thousand Oaks received $300 for her secondplace entry.

Working at his Westlake Village marketing firm of HWDS & Associates Inc., West began with an ink sketch followed by digital enhancement with computer graphics.

He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in design and illustration from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in political science with an emphasis in public administration from UC Santa Barbara.

West's illustrations have been featured on book covers as well as in magazines and promotional materials.

The California Strawberry Festival is an annual nonprofit event that pays homage to the region's strawberry industry. The festival has raised more than $2 million for charities and scholarships.

For more information, go to www.strawberry-fest.org.