Miami Animation Meetup September Recap: New Faces, 3D Prints, and Growing Enthusiasm for AVG’s future
- Jennifer Cruz
- Sep 20
- 3 min read
Our September meetup was filled with professional artists, students, and a FIU/MDC professor. A special shoutout to Angelo Gazzia for writing a guest blog post earlier this month about his process in making 3D sculptures. You can see some of his work, 3D printed at an artist showcase September 26. Another extremely special shoutout out to Bilal Khan for making a 3D printed sign for AVG. I am extremely grateful for it and will be bringing it to every meeting.
Professions in the Room
We had a fantastic cross-section of the industry represented:
3D Animators
Riggers
Modelers
Illustrators
Concept Artists
3D Artists
Motion Graphics
Programmers
We also met recent graduates and students from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design)Â and MDC (Miami Dade College)Â who have been eagerly trying to find a community like ours. We Also had FIU Professor Ramirez, who is working with FIU to make MFA programs for Animation, Film, and Gaming.
Miami Animation Meetup Highlights
Our conversation were casual, fun, and productive. Here are the big take aways:
Growing Miami Scene: Part of AVG’s mission is to have a growing community. Members want to be more involved, help with events, write blog posts, host events, and more. I am excited to work with everyone in our group to make it happen.
Growing Education in our fields: Discussions with Professor Fernandez made it clear that FIU and MDC are trying to bring AA, BFA, and MFA degrees in animation, VFX, film, and gaming to Miami.
Gratitude and belonging:Â Newcomers said they felt welcomed and excited to have found a like-minded community in Miami to grow their careers.
3D Printing: Thanks to Bilal's sign, we got into 3D printing discussions and are thinking of ways where we might even have a workshop on it. Stay tuned.
Epic Universe: Holiday seasons are approaching, and Orlando isn’t too far away. We had lighthearted and fun talks about how amazingly epic, Epic Universe is. If you haven’t gone yet, make sure you plan your next trip, because you will want to go more than 1 day.
Special Thank you to Bilal Khan
Bilal Khan, thank you again for this thoughtful gift for our group. Bilal teaches programming to young kids and loves to play with blender to make 3D prints on his free time. He made this sign for AVG that I will now have at all out meetups! The logo even spins!
When: Friday, September 26, 2025 · 6:30–8:30 PM
Where:Â Altis Grand Kendall, 9455 SW 137th Ave, Miami, FL 33186, USA
More than 15 Hispanic artists showcasing over 20 artworks. Including one of our AVG members, Angelo Gazzia. Come to support one of our members. He has made a 3D printed version of one of his many 3D Character Sculptures. He explores the deadly sin of sloth within the highly technological world we live in today.
When: Thursday, October 9, 2025 · 7:00–10:00 PM
Where:Â 1-800 Lucky, 143 NW 23rd St, Miami, FL 33127, US
1 800 LUCKY - Wynwood, Miami, FLÂ - 1-800-Lucky is Miami's first Asian food hall, spanning 10,000 square feet in Wynwood and featuring a vibrant mix of pan-Asian cuisine from six restaurants, including sushi, ramen, Vietnamese sandwiches, and hand-crafted dumplings.
What’s Next
If you’re building your getting into the industry or exploring the Miami scene, this is your space. Bring a friend to the next Miami animation meetup, be excited about Miami's futre in our industry, network with locals, and be a part of our growing community.