Cassie Valenzuela Poon wins Top 10 in CAPIC Rodeo 16 Student Illustration Contest with “Burst Music Festival”
Cassie Valenzuela Poon, a student from Capilano University’s IDEA School of Design (IDEA Grad 2025), has won a Top 10 spot in the CAPIC Rodeo 16 student contest for Illustration with her project, Burst Music Festival. This three-part poster series was created for the IDES 362 Music Festival class, led by instructors Dominique Walker and Ben Frey. The project aimed to depict people breaking free from their mundane, 9-5 routines through explosive, vibrant graphics. Cassie expressed her excitement about stepping out of her comfort zone and creating something dynamic and well-received.
Many congratulations to Capilano University's IDEA School of Design students who continue to dominate the CAPIC student awards in illustration!
Check out this award-winning student illustration project!
Process work
About the project
This illustration was created as a three-part poster series for IDES 362, Music Festival class, taught by Dominique Walker and Ben Frey.
I wanted to create something outside of my comfort zone. This is the first time I tried to illustrate something more excitable. The music festival was made for people who wanted to freely express themselves outside their buttoned-up, 9-5 work outfits. So the concept behind the illustrations was to make explosive graphics burst out of people in their hunched-over, staring at a monitor expression.
The illustrations were super fun to create and I appreciate how well-received they’ve been!
“Burst is a pop music festival that enables people tired of being buttoned up by their 9-5 jobs to let loose. The featured artists are celebrated for their ability to burst the bubble of taboo topics.”
About CAPIC
CAPIC is the Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators, and RODEO student competition is open to photography and illustration students across Canada. Visual arts students from across the country compete for national exposure and an array of great prizes. The winning entries are also published on the CAPIC website and on social media.
See all of this year’s winners at capic.org.
About IDEA School of Design at Capilano University
IDEA School of Design offers two career-oriented programs for the next generation of creative professionals.
The Bachelor Of Design In Visual Communication is a four-year undergraduate degree with a variety of career outcomes in the creative field. Students can specialize in branding, Illustration or interactive design in upper years.
The Interaction Design Diploma is a two-year program with career outcomes in the field of digital product design and user experience. The focus is on creativity, design thinking, and problem-solving.
