Kelly Rickert
Graphic Design Director
www.goodmantheatre.org
Kelly Rickert is a visual communicator who has divided his time between the world of Fine Art and the business of Graphic Design for over 20 years. His approach to these disciplines incorporates a cross pollenization of communication strategies to help achieve the most successful results. As a Graphic Designer, Kelly has worked with a number of high profile clients that include: Border Books and Music, Annheuser-Busch, and PriceWaterhouse Coopers. Formerly a Creative Director at Torque, and then the founder of a virtual agency called Concrete Cloud, Kelly is now the Design Director for Goodman Theatre, one of Chicago's most respected cultural institutions. He has been a guest lecturer at The School of The Art Institute where he has provided portfolio reviews for graduating students, and has taught classes in Web Design and Information Architecture at Elgin College. Kelly's paintings have been exhibited extensively in Chicago and his work is part of permanent collections locally and abroad. His studio is located in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.
Session 1: Bridging the Gap Between Fine Art and Graphic Design
This session is for artists looking to embark on a career in graphic design while still being true to their art. Using examples and case studies, I will show that it's entirely possible to pursue these divergent career paths simultaneously. And, I'll discuss how leading a "dual life" can positively influence your personal work and enable you to become a more effective designer.
I'll also talk about some practical things I've learned along the way including:
- The importance of an objectives-based design portfolio
- How to target the design jobs you want
- Resume and interview strategies
- What some of Chicago's best design firms look for when hiring a designer