We have a winner. Ketchup packets to feature local artist

Heinz may have its 57 flavors but the one people care most about is tomato ketchup. Like Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup or Tabasco, it’s one of those rarefied products you can’t that doesn’t come in an identical generic version. It’s such a part of our culture that Warhol took a stab at it.

Carrying on the artist connection, Heinz recently asked students from first through twelfth grades to create artwork for its ketchup packets for cafeterias, ballparks, restaurants and pretty much everywhere else.

It received 45,000 entries, which the company narrowed down to 36 finalists, two of which were from the Kansas City area.

Now the winning 12 designs have been announced, and Antioch Middle School’s Madeleine Layton is one of them. The Overland Park native was the winner in the seventh-grade category.

Layton’s Van Gogh-inspired art will appear on 20 million ketchup packages. For her efforts, Layton wins $1,000 in cash, a poster of her design and $1,000 worth of Heinz ketchup. (That has to be close to a lifetime supply.) In addition, Antioch Middle School receives $1,000 in school supplies.

The other Kansas City finalist was twelfth grader Peter Yankowsky from Platte City, Missouri. Yankowsky’s work, along with all the winners and finalists is available on Heinz’s Web site.