{gallery}http://www.flickr.com/photos/theuwi/sets/72157627655379536/{/gallery} THE UWI, ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad And Tobago – Kirie Ishmael, a student of the Visual Arts Unit of the Department of Creative and Festival Arts (DCFA) recently copped the “Best Young Designer” Award at the Design Caribbean show which took place from September 1-4 in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. Kirie won the award for her Design 3 project – Ibis-inspired jewellery.
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) included 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.
The Visual Arts Unit of the DCFA also played a major role in the Contemporary Caribbean Collection project which was 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.