The Recipient
Kornkanok 'Mint’ Tantisuwanna
Kornkanok ‘Mint’ Tantisuwanna is an accomplished type designer and lettering artist based in Bangkok Thailand. She has worked for the renowned type design firm Cadson Demak, and now works independently developing typefaces and custom lettering for brands and artists across Thailand and internationally. Mint was passionate about typeface design since before any formal introduction to the craft. Growing up, her favorite thing was to sketch and draw letters during class. It wasn’t until university and important formative experiences with influential type designers as a young adult that she discovered what would become her lifelong passion. Type design and the balancing act of precision and creativity it requires excited Mint, and she hasn’t turned her back on it since. Mint was an inspiration to The Malee Scholarship. Her incredible talent and passion is hard to overlook, but what’s more is she doesn’t want to keep it to herself. She has taught at multiple universities teaching young designers the art of type design, and hopes to build her own type foundry one day. Type design in Thailand is not considered a typical career path, but Mint wants to break this convention and raise awareness and promote a growing generation of type designers in her home country. We don’t doubt she will make great strides in the field, and we are proud to announce her as the Malee Scholarship recipient of 2023.
The Finalists
The Malee Scholarship recognizes three Finalists who are committed to a career in type design and educating the next generation of lettering artists and type designers. This year, each finalist will receive a $2,000 grant from sponsor David Jonathan Ross that will go towards their type design education, and a copy of the second edition of Designing Type by Karen Cheng.
María Laura Olcina
María Laura Olcina is a Latin America graphic designer currently living and working in Santa Fe, Argentina. She obtained her diploma at Universidad del Litoral, where she teaches in the Bachelor of Visual Communication Design. There she met Alejandro Lo Celso and was his intern for two years in the elective course of Advanced Typography. Then started working with him on PampaType social networks, which allowed her to see typography from another perspective. She took several lettering and calligraphy courses, until she finally applied to the Master’s Degree in Typography at University of Buenos Aires, where she is studying now.
Hyeyun Min
Hyeyun, a first-generation Korean immigrant in the United States, is a self-taught designer based in Boston. As a freelance multidisciplinary designer, she passionately engages in a wide range of design projects that ignite her curiosity and creativity. One of her exciting works includes collaborating with an AI-powered startup, where she applies her design skills to shape digital products. Additionally, she actively contributes to a vibrant community group at MIT, sharing her design and illustration skills while gaining valuable insights from fellow talented individuals. Driven by her continuous desire to expand her boundaries of design, Hyeyun has recently embarked on a captivating journey into the world of type design, exploring its intricacies and endless possibilities. Outside of her design pursuits, she finds joy in film photography, sketching, and running along the panoramic Charles River.
Shaqa Bovand
Shaqa Bovand is a type designer and lettering artist, born and raised in Iran. Her love of letters began at a young age when her dad bought a book titled “Secrets of Nastaliq”. After achieving both a bachelors and masters degree in Graphic Design in Iran, she began work as a brand and packaging designer. The continued love of letters apparent in her design work led her to apply for the MA Type Design course at the University of Reading. Following this she was employed by F37 and is currently working as a type designer for them on numerous scripts. Shaqa is also a lettering artist active on social media, with her artworks being used across the globe. She was also selected to talk at AtypI Paris 2023 and Type Lab 2023.
Special Recognition
The Malee Scholarship recognizes these nine women for their unique achievements and contributions to the type design industry.