How do you take your coffee?
Tatiana: Being raised in Colombia, coffee is embedded in my culture and a very important part of multiple routines, both personal and social. When it comes to my working routine, the smell of a good Colombian brewed coffee in the morning fills our home. It is still the one thing I always bring back from home.
José: I grew up drinking cortaditos, and normally include tons of sugar. Now, I still drink them but without sugar. In the summer I love iced coffee with lots of ice!
Bio
Tatiana Gómez is a graphic designer and educator. She holds a BA in Design from the Universidad de los Andes and an MFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. Tatiana's work has been recognized by the Type Directors Club, the Society of Typographic Arts, and the State of Rhode Island. Tatiana is a co-founder of Buena Gráfica Social Studio and an Associate Professor in the Communication Design Department at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
José R. Menéndez is a graphic designer and educator, with a background in marine science communication and landscape architecture. He holds a BS in Landscape Architecture from Temple University, an MFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, and a MMA in Marine Affairs with a specialization in Science Communication from the University of Rhode Island. José is a recipient of a 2020–2022 National Endowment for the Arts Grants for Arts Projects and his work has been recognized by the State of Rhode Island. José is a co-founder of Buena Gráfica Social Studio and an Assistant Professor in Graphic Design and Architecture at Northeastern University College of Art Media and Design.
Studio
Buena Gráfica Social Studio is an interdisciplinary communication design studio funded in 2021. Our work is centered in community building through design. Through the lenses of community engagement, graphic design, printmaking, and public space interventions, our work examines the design practice as a platform for multicultural communication at multiple scales.
Our clients include the Audubon Society, the Fine Arts Work Center, the Boston Globe, the Rhode Island School of Design, the 195 District Park, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, Hope & Main, the Vera List Center at the New School, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and Brown University.
What's your creative process?
Our creative process starts with the understanding of the audience of each project and the collaboration with our clients and community partners to learn, research, and build a narrative that addresses the needs of the project. The outputs of our projects range from multiple formats and scales, combining digital and analog, and sometimes even community engagement events. Once the range of applications are determined, the communication strategies take shape through elements such as language(s), typography, form, and color. The design process is an iterative one. We love making and are often involved in the production and installation processes of our projects.
What's your favorite project you worked on and why?
Gráfica Latina is our favorite project. It is a digital and mobile archive that serves as a resource for students, academics, professionals, and enthusiasts alike who are interested in expanding their references on historic and current graphic design work developed by designers and graphic artists from Latin America. The archive has grown through the acquisitions of posters, publications, exhibitions, and programming at arts organizations, cultural events, and academic spaces such as the Fine Arts Work Center, The Southern Graphic Council International Conference, and the Rhode Island College School of Social Work.
In early 2025, Graphic Voices of Latin América, the archive’s biggest show so far, showcased more than a hundred posters at The WaterFire Arts Center in Providence, RI. The show had more than 8,000 visitors in six weeks. We organized the programming of the show, which included tours, the visit of the Colombian typographic printshop La Linterna, a documentary screening, and multiple workshops.
Buena Gráfica's Sample Creations
Graphic Voices of Latin America exhibition - Providence, RI
195 District Park Visual identity system
Farm Fresh RI Murals
We invite you to explore buenagrafica.com to experience the visionary work of co-founders Tatiana Gómez and José R. Menéndez. Their innovative fusion of graphic design, printmaking, and public space interventions not only fosters meaningful community connections but also enriches cultural dialogues. Notably, their recent exhibition, "Graphic Voices of Latin America," showcased graphic works from 16 countries, highlighting their dedication to celebrating and preserving Latin American visual culture.
We also encourage you to checkout their recent interview " Love Over a Letterpress" which beautifully highlights their remarkable partnership as both a couple and a creative team.