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September 2011
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Best young designer
The DCFA was well represented at the show, as five students (including Kirie) displayed work at the design fair. The other four students (and recent graduates) with work at the show were Jade Achoy, Anyah McNeill, Natrisha Gangapersad and Ann Marie Samsoondar. The students benefitted from the opportunity to discuss their work with practitioners, international buyers and meet creative people from all over the Caribbean.
This collaboration has already begun to bear fruit, with some of the artisans and designers being invited to work more closely with the students during the semester through guest lectures and joint product development. Ms. Noel and Mr. Vinaccia will also continue to work together, as Ms. Noel will spend two weeks in Canada in October doing research with Mr. Vinaccia and Dr. Anne Marchand of the University of Montreal through the Faculty Leadership Pilot Programme. |
Kirie Ishmael, a student of the Visual Arts Unit of the Department of Creative and Festival Arts (DCFA), of The UWI, was adjudged the “Best Young Designer” at the Design Caribbean show which took place from September 1-4 in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. Kirie won this award for her Design 3 project, Ibis-inspired jewellery. 
The Visual Arts Unit of the DCFA also played a major role in the Contemporary Caribbean Collection project which was very well received at the show, through the collaboration of design lecturer, Lesley-Ann Noel and Italian design consultants Giulio and Valerio Vinaccia, and eleven local artisans and designers. This was made possible through a collaborative effort between the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the National Entrepreneurship Development Company (NEDCO) and the Visual Arts Unit of the DCFA.