Rick Valicenti + the Group of 25

January 3rd / By admin

Rick Valicenti of Thirst/3st Chicago visits Utah State design students for a packed three days.

During an exciting three days Rick Valicenti of Thirst/3st visited our campus with a movie poster workshop, lecture, and a trip to the Spiral Jetty. Rick shared his process, his passion, and his dedication to the innovation of design.

For the first two days, Rick facilitated a movie poster workshop. The 25 students chose topics out of a hat and then came prepared early Tuesday morning with a new film idea including characters, scenery, titles and descriptions. We began the workshop with a discussion of movie poster designs based on era, taste, and overall composition. After which, we went to work having personal critique and mentorship with Rick. He stayed all night with us making sure each student received feedback. It was awesome.

Thursday morning, before he gave his lecture, Professors Dave Smellie and Mike Daines took Rick to Utah’s famous Spiral Jetty.

Fine Arts Visual. On Thursday, the posters were printed and hung in the building.

Even Stevens Sandwiches. The next week the posters were featured as part of The Block Arts Festival.

“Do we really need a client to do a project? Does a client really turn us into designers? Or is it our skill of craft or our design mind? Do your dream job now.”

Graphic Design alumni, Brett Smith, featured in the Communication Arts Magazine.

Brett Smith, USUGD alum, was featured in the Communication Arts Magazine for his art direction work with R&R Partners. Of the feature Smith wrote,

“Thanks Bob Winward and Dave and Alan (miss his smile). Some people are born with too much talent. I am NOT that guy. Throughout my career I’ve needed every minute of the help I got from my professors. Maybe I have a directionless existence with no solid goals but I never imagined my work in C.A.”

Smith’s work with R&R was with the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The Project is entitled, Behind Bad Decisions, and demonstrates the dangers of underage drinking.

Congrats Brett!