Rick Valicenti

MFA Advisor / Founder, Thirst/3ST

Time 2:21

Rick Valicenti is the founder and design director of Thirst/3ST, a communication design firm devoted to art, function and real human presence. Rick was recently awarded the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Medal in 2006 for his sustained contribution to design excellence and development of the profession. This medal is the highest honor in the graphic design profession. Rick is a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale) and in 2004 was awarded the AIGA Chicago Chapter Fellow. His works are included in the permanent collection of The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the 2006 Triennial, Design Life Now. His clients include the leaders of the Chicago design and cultural community. Rick Valicenti provides inspiration to his colleagues and mentorship to a generation of students. For the past two decades, Rick has lent his time and energies to college and high school students in the form of workshops, and personal critiques on the design industry. A 356-page monograph on the Thirst work was published by the Monacelli Press in 2004 titled Emotion as Promotion.