Miami Dade College’s Miami Book Fair (MBF) unveiled its official poster created by New World School of the Arts graphic designer José Chocce, a senior in the NWSA Bachelor of Fine Arts – Visual Arts program. A highlight of every Miami Book Fair is selecting a different artist each year to create a work of art that embodies what MBF is all about. Storytelling, getting lost within books, and allowing one’s imagination to soar unrestrained were José’s inspiration for his winning poster design.
“The concept for my 2023 Miami Book Fair poster was based on storytelling. I wanted to create an image of a person getting lost within books and allowing their imagination to grow unrestrained,” said Chocce. “My intent was for the illustration to achieve graphic clarity utilizing geometric shapes and clean lines. I used oranges to symbolize Florida and added a bird – as the saying goes ‘the early bird gets the worm’ – to imply the importance of early reading habits.”
Conceptual thinking, typography, packaging, design layout, and productions are essential fine arts elements for students pursuing a degree concentration in graphic design at New World School of the Arts. A collaborative discipline, students in this track are encouraged to incorporate their knowledge of other visual arts paths into their designs. This creates awareness of the endless possibilities inherent in graphic design and helps nurture the development of each student’s own unique design identity.
“The Miami Book Fair poster design collaboration between NWSA and MDC offered my graphic design students the opportunity to share their artistic talents with a much broader audience. This project helped them to better understand the concept of branding while applying it to a real-life scenario,” explained Rosario Martinez-Cañas, graphic design faculty at NWSA. “Working with José in the classroom and seeing his evolution as an artist and designer has been very rewarding. He consistently explores new ways to visually communicate his ideas and it is this constant pursuit towards learning that which will bring continued growth into his practice as a visual artist.”
Earlier this year, José was selected winner of the Miami-Dade Days Ties and Scarves Competition, a project that has been assigned to New World School of the Arts college graphic design students for the past three and a half decades. A jury chose José’s design from a pool of seven graphic design competitors, which gave him the opportunity to travel to our state’s capital where he was publicly recognized during the two-day Spring Legislative Session.
This year’s Miami Book Fair will once again feature some of the world’s top authors, influencers, and celebrities, including Evenings With headliners Kerry Washington, Joan Baez, David Brooks, Walter Mosley, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Henry Winkler, among others. Hundreds of authors will present in-person in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. Some of these programs will be streamed live from the Fair to miamibookfaironline.com (available on demand 24/7). Other components of the Fair include: ReadCaribbean featuring Haitian and other Caribbean authors. ReadingEast with authors from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The robust IberoAmerican program, hosting noted Hispanic authors, journalists, poets, essayists, storytellers and visual artists and photographers. Children’s Alley providing and learning activities during the popular Street Fair weekend, Nov. 17 – 19. Off the Shelf’s live music stage presenting popular bands and other performers. Street Fair vendors, including a mix of booksellers, publishers, artist-made goods, and a food market featuring food trucks and pop-up restaurants and cafés. There will be free social gatherings including an opening day block party on Sunday, Nov. 12, and the return of Lost Chapter, a nightly rooftop lounge with views of the downtown Miami skyline, open Nov. 13-17.
· Event and sponsorship information: www.miamibookfair.com/nextpage.
· Information: Lisa Better, Membership and Development Associate, LBetter@mdc.edu, 305-790-7597.
· Miami Book Fair information: www.miamibookfair.com, 305-237-3528 or wbookfair@mdc.edu. Follow the Miami Book Fair @miamibookfair on all social media platforms.
· Miami Book Fair contact: Lisa Palley, Palley Promotes, 305-642-3132, lpalley@bellsouth.net.
A Florida center of excellence in the visual and performing arts, New World School of the Arts is an educational partnership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College, and the University of Florida. NWSA provides a comprehensive program of artistic, creative, and academic development through a curriculum that reflects our community and the rich multicultural state of Florida. Through our partners NWSA confers the high school diploma, Associate of Arts degree, and Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees in programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, Music, Theater and Art & Design. New World School of the Arts’ rigorous eight-year curriculum and conservatory-style teaching has empowered students in our community and our nation to become leaders in the arts for more than three decades.
For more information, please contact the New World School of the Arts at 305-237-3135 or the NWSA Visual Arts division at 305-237-3620. nwsa.mdc.edu.