Pittsburgh Artist Designs Yahoo Black History Month Logo
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Whether walking past her murals or swiping past her Instagram, people love the Black Girl Magic Series by Pittsburgh artist and muralist Janel Young.
The series celebrates natural hair and self-love among Black women.
"I think it gives color to downtown Pittsburgh. People have come and taken photos in front of it and tagged me on Instagram," said Young about her mural along Sixth Avenue and Wood Street.
Despite her colorful characters earning her a fan following and merchandise collaboration with Verizon, the surprise call from Yahoo last month to design their Black History Month logo was a picture she would have never painted for herself.
"I was speechless at first," said Young.
Young made history as the first outside artist ever commissioned to design the company's logo.
And while some say you can't rush art, she designed the logo using her iPad under a tight two-week deadline.
"I sent around a couple different versions. We played around with it back and forth," said Young.
The final version includes the Pan-African color scheme, various tribal patterns and her signature cute cartoon.
If you look closely, you can also spot a hidden message behind the gems in the looking glass.
"What I really wanted to convey was that we should be digging deeper into the gems that are in our Black history," said Young.
Young believes she was chosen for her values of spreading joy through art which is something she hopes Yahoo users feel when they see the new logo.
She shared this message for creators like her who waited more than 20 years for this moment.
"Make sure you're creating for yourself and eventually the people who want to see your work will come to you," Young told KDKA.
She could not dish the details about her next project but said one of her characters will be popping up somewhere else very soon.
To see more of her work check out her website.