Tuna has a rich history with the Crescent City Classic. He has created more prints than any other artist in Crescent City Classic history, including the 25th and 30th Anniversary prints. It was only fitting that he created the 35th Anniversary print as well.

Tuna’s bond with the Classic started long before the prints, however. He said, “As a kid, I used to draw a lot, and I also participated in the CCC. I was always aware of the prints and wondered what I would create if ever given the chance.”

Adorned with Tuna’s signature Pel Lis Can character standing at the finish line, the print combines the story of the Classic with the story of New Orleans. The print features an America flag flying high above both the City’s landmarks and the emblem on Louisiana’s state seal. A crowd of runners and, of course, the crescent moon focal point provide a decorative celebration of color – a defining Tuna Seither trademark.

“Each time I start to draw and paint, I ask myself what I have to say and what story I want to tell,” Tuna said. “This challenge never changes.  If anything, it grows. This is what makes this print series so special to me. They are all connected in some ways but still stand on their own – telling their own visual stories.”

Tuna said the 35th Anniversary print looks totally different from any of his other CCC prints, a very deliberative approach for him.

“If you look closely at my previous CCC prints, you will see that this print is connected to the others,” he said. “Nothing is more rewarding to me than when the CCC Nation lets me know that they see the connections and then relate the prints to their own memories.”

On the heals of creating the MVP trophy for the New Orleans Bowl, Tuna said he was honored to create the 35th Anniversary print and is already dreaming of the chance to create the 40th Crescent City Classic commemorative print.

To request your Crescent City Classic Artist’s Proof and choose your number, contact Tuna at tunaart@cox.net. The artist will personalize your Artist Proof upon request.

New Orleans Bowl trophy is season’s best – TV Balla

“There’s MVP trophies, and then there’s MVP trophies you want to show off” – Gamedayr.com

Unique MVP Trophy – The Advocate

New Orleans Bowl brings Cajuns and new MVP trophy – Sports NOLA

New MVP Trophy – Theind.com

UL Grad paints new MVP Trophy for NOLA Bowl – The Advertiser

ECU QB Marvels at new MVP trophy – NOLA.com

Seither’s portfolio boasts magical sports moments in history that include iconic images from past New Orleans Bowls, Super Bowls, and numerous other sporting events.

“I’ve had a long relationship with both the Sun Belt Conference and The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation,” said Seither, whose image for Super Bowl XXXVI titled “N.O. City Does It Better!” was given to 90,000 visitors by the Sports Foundation that year.

Seither is a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and was honored to paint the Inaugural Sun Belt Football Conference Print in 2001 as well as the 10th Anniversary Print for the Conference in 2010.

“I completed the MVP Trophy in early December,” he said.  ”It is an absolute thrill for me to explore the concept of painting a helmet that would be used as a Trophy.”

Seither said that while painting on the helmet had challenges not indicative of traditional flat canvases, he focused on the artwork and the logo itself to conceptualize the Trophy.  ”The key design element for me was painting the letters “MVP” in the eye-shield and then giving the facemask a burst of color,” he said.  ”The cool thing is that I was able to paint on both the front and back of the shield, and this became the central focus of the Trophy.”

The Trophy will be on display on the sidelines during the New Orleans Bowl.