The whimsical murals of Ryan Henry Ward are scattered throughout Seattle-area walls and his smaller works – now numbering in the thousands – are being collected for homes and offices.

Now, the Enumclaw High graduate hopes to see his distinctive work grace Seattle’s ultimate landmark, the towering Space Needle.

To help celebrate the iconic spire’s 50th birthday, a nationwide contest was launched. Artists were encouraged to offer a design that will grace the top of the Needle for six months. After all the designs were turned in, Ward’s “Deep Blue Sea” was picked as one of the five finalists. A sixth option is a plain golden dome.

A public vote will determine whose design grades the Needle.

To view the options and cast a vote, visit www.spaceneedle.com. The deadline to vote is Oct. 20.