New Orleans artist Becky Fos said she was inspired to create the painting that has become the image of Louisiana’s latest “I voted” sticker by both her predecessors and her state’s own vibe.

Fos, known as the “Happy Artist” for her bright colors, painted Louisiana’s iconic state Capitol drenched in primary colors using a pallet knife rather than a brush to make her master strokes of undiluted oil on canvas.

“I wanted to capture the spirit of Louisiana with the colors of Louisiana,” Fos said at the unveiling of her painting and stickers during a press conference Tuesday at the Old State Capitol.

Her painting is called “Louisiana State of Mind.”

Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin commissioned Fos to create the inspiration for the state’s third “I voted” sticker following the late iconic artist George Rodrigue’s Blue Dog in 2016 and Lafayette artist Tony Bernard’s King George pelican in 2019.

“Louisiana voters are passionate about their ‘I voted’ stickers,” Ardoin said. “One of my favorite parts of elections is the excitement these stickers generate. You see voters taking selfies with them and posting them on their various social media platforms.”

Fos said she has been one of those voters who looked forward to showing off the stickers.

“After the first two, I wondered, ‘What’s next?’” she said. “So when they called me, I said, ‘I’d love to.’ It was a no-brainer.”

More than 2 million of the Fos stickers will be available to voters for the Nov. 8 election and during early voting that begins Oct. 25. Ardoin said his agency paid $15,292 for the stickers to promote voting.

Fos said the pressure of creating such a high profile project was present, but was also a motivation.

“It’s always difficult to follow two amazing artists like George Rodrigue and Tony,” she said. “But the excitement and inspiration overcame the stress.”

Louisiana’s “I voted” stickers have been wildly popular among voters and collectors. The Blue Dog and King George pelican stickers are still sold on eBay for as much as $10 or more. The 2019 King George design has earned a national award for originality and creativity from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

“My hope is the excitement over the stickers inspires more people to vote,” Fos said.

It’s not her first high-profile project.

Fos, who operates a gallery on Magazine Street in New Orleans, was commissioned by Dr. Pepper to create the posters used for the 2020 LSU-Clemson national championship football game and for the upcoming Sept. 4 LSU-Florida State game in the Superdome.