Not too long ago, I briefly mentioned that I was heading to Tallahassee for an event that I had a part in. It’s time I explained a little further. Every year, my school holds a tie design competition open to its graphic design students for an event called Miami-Dade County Days. Here’s how the official website describes it,
“Miami-Dade County Days in Tallahassee is a two-day celebration of our community during the Florida Legislative Session. Dade Days is considered the premier event during the Session, bringing with us more than 1000 people representing over 200 organizations, from both the private and public sector. It is a wonderful opportunity for participants to meet with our Miami-Dade Delegation as well as with Florida’s Legislators.”
My fellow students are supposed to design the tie based on the theme provided by Dade Days. This year’s theme was “A Kaleidescope Of Colors“. When we were finished designing them, we had to present a printed version to a panel of judges who would decide which tie would represent the entire city of Miami for the annual event. The winner would have the design printed on hundreds of ties and scarves, and would have the opportunity to fly to Tallahassee for the event, as well as receive a cash prize. This year I was fortunate enough to win the competition. (And just in time because I was short for money and I had to pay off some bills!)
My reaction to the entire trip was one of perplexity and excitement. This was my first time seeing my artwork in a public forum, not to mention on clothes. I was receiving compliments from politicians and strangers, shaking hands and taking photographs with people with much more political clout – I’m talking mayors, governors, senators, chairmen, that type of stuff.
Unfortunately, 48 hours prior to my trip I had a bad case of food poisoning that I took with me to Tallahassee. But all in all it was an exciting but strange experience, one that I was glad to undergo (minus the barfing).
Without further ado, here are the pictures.
