WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Twenty posters were submitted, but it's Felipe Galindo's that will be featured this summer.
Galindo, a 159th Street resident who has drawn cartoons for The New Yorker and Reader's Digest, was voted the winner of the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance Uptown Art Stroll poster contest Monday night, netting the artist the opportunity to represent the monthlong festival.
Galindo's poster, which features dancing birds, smiling musical instruments and cheerful art canvases, was selected from a pool of six finalists during the two-hour event organized by NoMAA and featuring volunteers from the youth development group Fresh Youth Initiatives.
Galindo, 56, said he was inspired by uptown landmarks, from the George Washington Bridge and Little Red Lighthouse to Fort Washington Park, where he goes running every day.
"I tried to make it as cheerful and colorful as our neighborhood is," he said. "I wanted to show humor and all of the arts, but not with people. I personified all of the instruments and movements."
NoMAA director Sandra Garcia-Betancourt praised all the poster submissions.
"I think all of the designs were fabulous," she said. "We really appreciate the artists and their participation."
Galindo said the art stroll poster challenge had been right up his alley.
"I like to combine art, humor and history. This area has a lot of history, and I have been enjoying living here a lot," he said.
The win brings with it a $500 prize.
