SCAD at Miami

The Savannah College of Art and Design presents SCAD at Miami, a celebration of design innovation, contemporary art, and creative education, December 6–10, at Design Miami/, marking the fifth year SCAD has served as the official university partner of the prestigious fair and global forum. SCAD’s showcase includes work by student and alumni artists from top-ranked degree programs including jewelry and fibers. 

“This December, SCAD once again showcases extraordinary SCAD alumni work under the dreamiest of design fair tents,” says SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace. “As Design Miami/’s official university partner for the fifth year running, SCAD exhibits exquisite jewelry within an installation featuring the work of SCAD grads from fiibers and jewelry—including grand-scale tassels by textile designer Paola Maldonado and wearable artworks by Andrea Ortiz, Xinia Guan, Miao He, Xun Liu, Seth Carlson, and Shuoyuan Bai. From organic whimsy and delicate floral beauty to ultra-modern geometry and evocations of wildlife and adaptive reuse, the many wonders of the SCAD booth are not to be missed. See you in South Beach!” 

Exemplifying the university’s mission to provide opportunities for creatives to present their work on international platforms, SCAD’s activation at booth X/07 features designs by alumni from its leading jewelry program—the largest degree granting program in the US—including Shuoyuan Bai (MFA, jewelry, 2020), Seth Carlson (BFA, jewelry, 2007), Xinia Guan (MFA, jewelry, 2020), Miao He (MFA, jewelry, 2019), Xun Liu (MFA, jewelry, 2020), and Andrea Ortiz (MFA, jewelry, 2023). These artists pair extensive knowledge of materials and techniques in wearable innovations that embrace jewelry’s relationship to the human body and self-expression, exploring themes and motifs from the natural world, illusionary geometric patterning, and whimsical object appropriation.

“These jewelry works are a testament to the university’s degree program and its emphasis on fostering creativity in traditional jewelry techniques while encouraging a broader exploration of materials and narratives that will lead to further growth and artistry within contemporary jewelry,” says SCAD chair of jewelry Jay Song. “Through this diverse array of alumni accomplishments, we proudly showcase how SCAD equips its graduates with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in the dynamic landscape of the creative industry.” 

Embodying the university’s dedication to multidisciplinary collaboration, the alumni designs are exhibited within an intricate installation by fibers graduate Paola Maldonado (BFA, fibers, 2018). SCAD’s elite fibers program is also the largest in the US For Maldonado, textile design transcends tradition with a bold leap into the avant-garde. With every thread, she expands conventional boundaries of texture, color, and form, challenging her audience through unexpected treatments and compositions. Her creations honor the legacy of textile craftsmanship with a contemporary edge. Produced in her own textile studio based in Quito, Ecuador, they engage relevant issues related to the origins of materials and methods of production.

Additional SCAD AT MIAMI events scheduled throughout the week include a VIP press preview, enlightening conversations, and admission information sessions for prospective students and families.

Design Miami/ takes place at Meridian Avenue and 19th Street, Miami Beach, Florida. For more information, visit here.