Palmetto sunrise picked for new plates
The Post and Courier
Matthew Kamann's winning design.
MOUNT PLEASANT — The people have spoken. A 30-year-old groundskeeper's vision of sunrise at Dunes West Golf Club in Mount Pleasant is the design for the new state license plate.
Matthew Kamann, assistant club superintendent, won the contest with more than 102,000 votes of 190,000 ballots cast at the state Department of Motor Vehicles Web site.
"It's basically a hobby," he said. "This has boosted my confidence. It's a great addition to my portfolio."
The new tag has a palmetto tree, a crescent moon and an orange-tinted horizon fading into blue. Kamann said he designed the plate on his personal computer.
"I think it represents the state well," he said. Kamann received a plaque in honor of his accomplishment. "Just seeing them on the cars will be a great reward," he said.
His love of golf first found expression through photography and posters he created for golf tournaments. He also designed the Web site banner for Christ Our King Catholic Church. Kamann hopes winning the license plate contest will be a boost to his interest in graphic design as a career.
"The new license plate competition gave South Carolina citizens the opportunity to participate in the process for the first time," S.C. DMV Executive Director Marcia Adams said. "No other symbol in South Carolina is more recognizable than the palmetto tree and crescent moon."
The new plate will be issued in July 2008.
A panel of judges that included state officials and art educators narrowed a field of 300 contest entries to Kamann, Tom Crosby of Darlington and Karen Nelson of Gilbert.
Kamann, who submitted three designs for the license plate contest, all of which were selected for the semifinal group of 10, said he learned two weeks ago that he was the winner.
The plate slogan, travel2SC.com, was the idea of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. The Web address is the state's official tourism site.
Kamann, a native of Lexington, Ky., and resident of Mount Pleasant, moved to the area about a year ago when a friend helped him land the job at Dunes West.
Believe it or not, it's not his first foray into license plate design. He won a contest sponsored by the Lexington Herald- Leader newspaper to design a better license plate because many Kentuckians didn't like their new tag, which featured a smiley face, he said.
Reach Prentiss Findlay at 937-5711 or pfindlay@postand courier.com.
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Comments
onedeep (anonymous) says...
Has to be one of the ugliest license plates I have ever seen.
August 15, 2007 at 1:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mac0cm4 (anonymous) says...
Does the state pay us for advertising for the tourism industry?
August 15, 2007 at 6:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
meemz (anonymous) says...
I think it's a nice choice.
August 15, 2007 at 6:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Edwin435 (anonymous) says...
Ewwwwwww.....!
August 15, 2007 at 9:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bhippey (anonymous) says...
That's hideous!!!!!!!!!!!
August 15, 2007 at 10:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JonWithnal (anonymous) says...
The plate is ok but do we have to use a number for a letter in the website address?...we already have a rep. for being semi-literate.
August 15, 2007 at 10:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
turnwillkat (anonymous) says...
Could have been worse... think I'll get one for my husband!
August 15, 2007 at 10:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OverHere (anonymous) says...
Bring back the atom bomb design!
August 15, 2007 at 11:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
liam (anonymous) says...
Great design! To all the negative comments, get a life. Where was your design? Did you vote on any of the designs offered? It just goes to show that sometimes it is impossible to please the people. There are several other choices available if one doesn't like the state "default" plate. Other choices do cost a few extra bucks, but maybe the whiners can apply for a grant.
August 15, 2007 at 11:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Neponset (anonymous) says...
Overhere
I liked the bomb design also, but I am a retro kind of guy and I prefer the plates before we got into all this graphic stuff. Lets go back to just a plain plate with the ID letters/numbers, state name and year of issue.
August 15, 2007 at 12:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eaw429 (anonymous) says...
I voted. This by far was the best pick. The others were TERRIBLE. Seriously though, if you don't vote, you should learn to live with the decisions other voters make--same goes with politics.
August 15, 2007 at 12:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Edwin435 (anonymous) says...
I think that i can post my opinion thank you. I stand by my ewwwww comment.
August 15, 2007 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawneena (anonymous) says...
Remember the plate with the Yellow Jasmine flower and the Carolina wren? There was a bit of an uproar because the wren's colors were wrong. It was just an ugly plate all around.
August 15, 2007 at 1:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
turnwillkat (anonymous) says...
ahhhhhhh... freedom of speech... what a beautiful thing...
August 15, 2007 at 2:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gtmaj (anonymous) says...
Color scheme looks a bit like one of Michigan's tag.
August 15, 2007 at 2:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Charlestonchecker (anonymous) says...
"i'm just thankfull that the new plate does'nt have the confederate flag on it! hee-hawww" -flyboy68
You're right. Going on the current population base, we should have just used a New Jersey or Massachusetts plate.
August 15, 2007 at 3:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MajorTom (anonymous) says...
That was funny.
August 15, 2007 at 4:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawneena (anonymous) says...
At least it want clash with my vehicle color like some of the past plates. My husband is very boring; he'd just as soon have a plain, generic plate. He has no style...what can I say? LOL
August 15, 2007 at 7:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawneena (anonymous) says...
Harpo, I don't know about Thomas Ravenel.....he can only see in lines.
August 15, 2007 at 7:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Granmomma (anonymous) says...
To hawneena ; Who picked out that boring husband ?
August 15, 2007 at 7:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawneena (anonymous) says...
Guilty, Granmomma, but he has alot of other redeeming qualities. LOL
August 15, 2007 at 8:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Granmomma (anonymous) says...
I have a great husband too, but he CANNOT match clothes. I call him rag-a-muffin. But he has me spoiled . He is a keeper.
August 15, 2007 at 9:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Granmomma (anonymous) says...
I am located in the midlands of SC , Do y'all know how lucky you are to have the P&C ? Thank goodness for the internet so at least I get some news worth reading. Maybe the State paper should read this site too.
August 15, 2007 at 9:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawneena (anonymous) says...
Sorry, Granmomma. I posted back to you earlier, but it didn't show up for some reason. I had told you that mine was a keeper too. Still treats me like a queen after almost 27 yrs. of marriage.
Welcome to the P&C forums. It can get pretty hot in here, but most of the posters are good people. Please join us again.
August 15, 2007 at 11:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Granmomma (anonymous) says...
Hawneena ,Thanks for the welcome. I do like the P&C net news .
August 16, 2007 at 4:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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