Poster designs support professional practice, children’s nonprofit

Each year, Illustration juniors at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) work with Cramer-Krasselt and Penfield Children’s Center to design posters for the Penfield Children’s Center Annual Croquet Ball fundraiser.

The 2025 winners of the poster design competition are Cyrill Reyes in first place, Liesel Barkei in second place, Julius Koo in third place, and Kyle Woodfin in fourth place.

The Penfield Children’s Center is a Milwaukee non-profit organization dedicated to early childhood development, especially for children with developmental delays or disabilities. Attendees of the Annual Croquet Ball fundraiser for the Penfield Children’s Center will have the opportunity to purchase the winning designs during the auction.

“It was a dip-your-toes into what it means to be a professional illustrator, and this competition proved that I work and compete well in that environment,” explains Reyes. “[M]y professor (Yuanyuan Zhou) insisted I continue one of my more comedic concepts of the kid and the dinosaur … As much as I had my doubts, I always heard from others that I was on the right track, and I’m grateful that I listened to them.”

“Being recognized by Penfield is a huge career step for me,” says Barkei, who plans to pursue a career in the publishing and advertising industries. “[H]aving my design chosen to represent this event has been an invaluable challenge in understanding how to successfully meet and exceed a client’s needs.”

“I wanted to get an accurate idea of how the organization represented itself and ensure that my illustration reflected its values and mission,” Barkei continues. “My medieval playing card theme was the result of … three topics of consideration: a card to represent playfulness, knights to represent the courage, strength, and support Penfield offers its community, and detailed rendering of historical medieval aspects for a fine art touch that demonstrated thorough research and attention to detail.”

Reyes was influenced by Barcelona illustrator Toni Infante. “For this concept in particular, I tied childhood to imagination and then to imaginary friends, something quintessential to the childhood experience,” says Reyes. Reflecting on the process, Reyes “particularly liked that there’s another work day AFTER final critique. I think that’s something a lot of other classes can benefit from, since you can take a good design to a great design.”

“My time at MIAD has shown me the diverse array of careers an artist can pursue, and through the illustration program I’ve discovered my new love of editorial, publishing, and advertising arts,” finishes Barkei. “The chance to contribute to Penfield’s mission while simultaneously progressing toward my creative goals was a fulfilling and memorable experience.”

Learn more about MIAD’s Illustration major!