INFORMATION FOR
While Fabio Miyashiro ‘23 and his classmates were preparing their final projects for Professor Leslie Nobler’s Computer Painting and 2D Art Class, he had an idea to further build on the artist’s and designer’s responsibility to society, as discussed amongst the class, especially in regard to the pandemic and the burden of the quarantine on school-age children.
Miyashiro, a junior at William Paterson studying graphic design and interactive media, wanted to create something to give back to Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH), where he was once a patient undergoing cancer treatment as a child.
HMH is where Miyashiro says his art journey began. Family members and nurses brought him supplies like origami paper and markers and “set his imagination free.”
“I wanted to give back,'' says Miyashiro, who grew up in Pompton Lakes, NJ. “While everyone’s experience is different, it is nice to have support. Drawing and painting is what kept me busy when I was a patient at HMH.”
Under Professor Nobler's guidance, Miyashiro began work on World of Creativity, a virtual art gallery made up of drawings done by the patients at HMH, in response to an activity booklet composed of work done by Miyashiro and his classmates for their final project.
For the gallery, Miyashiro curated a virtual walkthrough art exhibition. Online users that log on to the Link Tree page can navigate a digitally rendered art gallery and view the wonderful artwork that was provided to him by HMH and other you patients, and their siblings.
The activity booklet, which was made up of Miyashiro and his classmates’ work from Nobler’s computer painting class, was then distributed to patients at the same hospital he received care from years ago, with Miyashiro taking on all of the printing and assembling duties.
Both projects were a massive job that showed a lot of dedication and determination, according to Nobler.
“I believe he learned so much about publication design, illustration, public relations, curating an exhibition, and most of all, being an artist for social good,” says Nobler. “Fabio used his heart, and so much of his talent, in art, design and writing, along with his technological agility, to execute a brilliant project.”
Each page of the coloring book was made by Miyashiro and classmates during Professor Nobler’s class, drawing inspiration from the children’s books Antiracist Baby by Ibram W. Kendi and This Little Dreamer by Joan Holub. The major themes explored in World of Creativity are friendship, diversity, history, and leadership.
“I chose to put the pages together into an activity book for the patients,” says Miyashiro. “During a time of isolation and uncertainty, I hope this book gives kids a creative outlet, a place to express themselves.”
Miyashiro is also a student in the University’s Honors College, humanities track, and plans to incorporate his experience and passion into his research thesis next year.
“I attend a summer camp for child cancer survivors and I see how their lives are affected, including the support they receive,” he says.
He plans to take a closer look at the resources that are provided to child cancer survivors through adulthood, and how it impacts their lives.
After graduation, Miyashiro hopes to work in the music industry designing album covers and posters for artists.
Both the virtual art gallery and activity booklet for World of Creativity can be viewed at https://linktr.ee/fabsmiyashiro.
