Jay Barbanel ’11, Photography, didn’t know his own life’s story—or even his birth name—during his time at Ringling College.
“I was still ‘in the fog,’ as we refer to it in the adoption community,” he says. But a decade and a half later, his education and experiences here have helped him to understand, cope, and finally to pen a memoir about his harrowing upbringing.
Finding Tico, which debuted in April, tells Barbanel’s story in his own words. Born in Costa Rica, he and his older brother were placed in an orphanage and later adopted by an American family at ages three and five, respectively. The two were later separated, and Barbanel wouldn’t see his brother again for nearly two decades.
Through therapy and a supportive community of others who went through adoption, Barbanel began piecing together his own origins. Eventually, he traveled to Costa Rica and uncovered parts of his past he’d never known before—including seeing his birth name, learning about his birth mother’s death, and realizing he had 11 other siblings.
Despite being “in the fog” during his time at Ringling College, Barbanel still gained valuable tools here that helped him on his journey.
“I learned to think conceptually at Ringling. I was given such good direction and insight into finding creative meaning in things,” he says. “The book is a memoir at its core, but there are bursts of creativity throughout the read that bring the book to life.”
Barbanel also recruited fellow alumni to help finalize the project: Corey Langelotti ’11, Computer Animation, created the front and back covers; Chris Watkins ’10, Graphic Design, handled the graphic design; and Corey Meade ’12, Graphic Design, completed the formatting.
“When it was time to work on the book cover, design and formatting, three of my closest friends, all Ringling alums, teamed up with me to make it come to life and bring me to the finish line,” he explains. “I’d like to acknowledge each of those extremely creative artists that I am lucky enough to call my friends. This book doesn’t happen without them.”
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