SSF 2016 FEATURED DESIGNER SHANETT DEAN

SSF 2016 Featured Designer Shanett Dean

Shanett Dean creates mixed media designs and conceptual artwork. Using found and curated material, Shanett finds that movement reveals an inherent language and considers design an extension of her literary influences. Her mixed media designs encourage collaboration with the patron as co-creator. Each design is pliable, thus, new sequences are created which reveal an inseparable relationship between an artist and their community. Coastal sea communities heavily influence her designs and maritime elements are recurrent in her work.

Deborah Magdalena

Whether she's hosting a spoken word event, music festival, or playing the role of a santera or vixen, Deborah Magdalena makes every emotion super real. This performance artist has acquired impressive TV & Film credits for the past twenty years including Sesame Street (CTW), Apollo Comedy Hour (Tribune Entertainment), Safe Harbor (Warner Brothers), Striptease (Castle Rock), Holyman (Caravan), and For Love or Country (HBO). As a published spoken word artist Deborah has released three CDs, a chapbook, and the spoken word musical FUNKdalena. As an artist-activist she’s the founder of Spoken Soul Festival, a twelve year old, three-day festival that helps women artists go from novice to professionals. As an educator Deborah for the past eight years has led in-school presentations in numerous high schools for the National YoungArts Foundation, is the co-founder of Piano Slam, and led various workshops for local art organizations like Miami Light Project and Institute of Contemporary Art Miami. Most recently and for the seventh year in a row, she was invited by the Arsht Center and Ailey Arts & Education Foundation to serve as the Creative Communication instructor for Ailey Camp Miami.