Rick Valentin

5660 School of Music
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois 61790-5660
309-438-1840
rnvalen@ilstu.edu
rickvalentin.com

Education

2007

M.F.A., New Media

College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2003

B.S., Computer Science

College Of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Employment

2010-

Associate Professor - Illinois State University

I am currently an Associate Professor of Arts Technology in the School of Music at Illinois State University. The courses I teach predominantly focus on web design and development, web-based video, electronic music, and online cultures and environments. My research has focused on the design and development of interactive applications for large-scale, public touchscreens (including installations at the Beach Museum of Art and Milner Library) and how these environments can be utilized in a pedagogical context (presentation at the Ninth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices).

1987-

Musician

I have spent the past 30 years as a professional musician leading the bands Poster Children and Salaryman and as a solo artist under the moniker of Thoughts Detecting Machines, releasing 14 albums of original material (four on Sire/Reprise/Warner Brothers) and performing over 800 shows throughout the United States and Europe. Technology has always been an integral part of this journey which has lead to pioneering work in enhanced-CD production, podcasting, interactive video and online community and has generated features in media outlets including The New York Times, Wired, MTV, CNN, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and FastCompany.

2006-
2010

Web Development Specialist - Beckman Institute

My duties at the Beckman Institute included a complete graphical and programmatic redesign of the Institute's website, intranet, research group sites, and conference sites; development of a custom content management system for the institution; and production of numerous video and print projects.

1995-
2006

Multimedia Designer - XcoDesign

As co-owner of XcoDesign, I designed and developed a variety of print, web, digital and programming projects. Clients included the Library of Congress, Indianapolis Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin, and Warner Brothers Music.

Teaching

ATK 301 - Web Design & Development (Software Design I)

(Taught every semester from Fall 2010 - Spring 2015, online sections Summer 2014 and Summer 2015)

ATK 301 is an introductory web development course I designed upon my arrival at Illinois State. Due to the constant changes in web technologies, the course content has been updated every semester but the main goal has remained the same: to build foundational skills in the design and development of websites for students with little or no experience in this area. I created an online version of the course in 2014 with all lectures available on streaming video.

ATK 380 (Selected Topics) - Web Video

(Taught yearly from Fall 2010 - Fall 2017)

I created this course with the goal of instilling web-specific video skills in Arts Tech students who would otherwise graduate from the program without any experience in video. I believe video has moved beyond specialization and is now one of the predominant forms of communication in the online world and because of this, literacy in the form is an essential skill for students in Arts Technology. The course follows an intense, weekly project schedule which mimics the typical production timelines for web-based video.

ATK 380 (Selected Topics) - Advanced Web Design and Development

(Taught yearly from Spring 2012 - Spring 2018)

I designed this course as a follow-up to ATK 301. It is focused on dynamically generated web sites, content management systems, PHP, mySQL, usability and accessibility. Student demand for instruction in these concepts is high and in the past had been addressed through independent studies. As with ATK 301, changes in the field require the course content to be updated every year.

ATK 390/490 - Directed Projects in Arts Technology

(33 undergraduate and 35 graduate independent studies since Spring 2011)

In addition to my regular three course workload, I have, on average, supervised 6 students each semester in the development of independent projects on topics not covered in the regular Arts Technology curriculum. Student work has included large-scale web applications, mobile application development, long-form videos and animation, algorithmic music composition and custom digital music controllers.

Additional Courses Taught

Professional Development

Music

2016

Daisy Chain Reaction 25th Anniversary Reissue

, Poster Children, Lotuspool Records, Kansas City, MO (2016)
2015

Work the Circuits

, Thoughts Detecting Machines, Twelve Inch Records, Normal, IL.
2013

Forget

, Thoughts Detecting Machines, Twelve Inch Records, Normal IL.
2012

An Introduction to

, Thoughts Detecting Machines, Twelve Inch Records, Normal IL.
2006

The Electric Forest

, Salaryman, Twelve Inch Records, Champaign, IL; Gustaff Records, Zielona Gora, Poland (2007).
2004

On the Offensive*

, Poster Children, Hidden Agenda Records, Urbana, IL.

No More Songs About Sleep and Fire

, Poster Children, Hidden Agenda Records, Urbana, IL.
2000

DDD

, Poster Children, Spin Art Records, New York, NY.
1999

New World Record

, Enhanced-CD, Poster Children, Spin Art Records, New York, NY.

Karoshi

, Enhanced-CD, Salaryman, Twelve Inch Records, Champaign, IL; City Slang Records, Berlin, Germany.
1998

Burton Snowboards 1998 Product Line Video

  (musician, composer, engineer).
1997

RTFM

, Enhanced-CD, Poster Children, Reprise Records, Los Angeles, CA.
1996

Salaryman

, Salaryman, Twelve Inch Records, Champaign, IL; City Slang Records, Berlin, Germany.
1995

Junior Citizen

, Poster Children, Sire/Reprise Records, Los Angeles, CA.
1994

Just Like You

, Poster Children, Sire/Reprise Records, Los Angeles, CA.
1993

Tool of the Man

, Poster Children, Sire/Reprise Records, Los Angeles, CA.; Creation Records, London, England.
1991

Daisy Chain Reaction

, Poster Children, Twin Tone Records, Minneapolis, MN; Sire/Reprise Records, Los Angeles, CA (1992).
1989

Flower Plower

, Poster Children, Limited Potential Records, Chicago, IL; Frontier Records, Los Angeles, CA (1990); Twelve Inch Records, Champaign, IL, (1995).
all original music unless noted*

Performance

2017

Make Music Normal , Normal, Illinois

(music festival, Poster Children, headliner)

All Tomorrow’s Impeachments , Chicago, Illinois

(Two night benefit concert, Poster Children, headliner)

PRF BBQ MKE , Milwaukee, Wisconsin

(music festival, invited performer, Poster Children)

Lotuspool 25th Anniversary , Lawrence, Kansas

(music festival, invited performer, Poster Children)
2016

Pygmalion Festival

, Champaign, Illinois (music festival, invited performer, Poster Children)

Poster Children Daisychain Reaction 25th Anniversary Tour

(13 headlining shows)
(performances in Chicago, IL (2); Brooklyn, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Vancouver, BC; Cleveland, OH; Cincinnati, OH)

PRF West Coast

, Oakland, CA
(music festival, invited performer, Thoughts Detecting Machines)
Additional performances as Thoughts Detecting Machines in Chicago (2); Bloomington, IL; Champaign, IL; St. Louis, MO.
2015

PRF Chicago

, Chicago, Illinois (music festival, invited performer, Thoughts Detecting Machines)

MatesFest Jr.

, Normal, Illinois (music festival, invited performer, Thoughts Detecting Machines)
Additional performances in Champaign, IL (4)
2014

South by Southwest Music Conference

, Austin, TX (3 performances, invited, Thoughts Detecting Machines)

PRF West Coast

, Oakland, CA (invited performer, Thoughts Detecting Machines)
Additional performances in Madison, WI; Normal, IL (2); Champaign, IL (2); Kenosha, WI (2).
2013
Performances in Chicago, IL (2); Milwaukee, WI; Normal, IL; Champaign, IL
2009

University Galleries

, Normal, Illinois, Faculty Biennial Opening, Poster Children.
2008

The Crimes and Confessions of Kip Knutzen: A Hockey Way of Knowledge

, Station Theater, Urbana, IL. (musician, composer, performer)
2007

Millennium Park

, Chicago, Illinois, Great Performers of Illinois Series, Poster Children.

Krannert Art Museum

, Champaign, Illinois, Back-To-School Concert, Poster Children.

Museum of Contemporary Art

, Chicago, IL: Intonation Festival, Poster Children.
2000

South by Southwest Music Conference

, Austin, Texas, Poster Children (also 1997).
1997

Nulle Part Ailleurs

, Paris, France, December 16, 1997, Salaryman (live television).
1995

Lollapalooza Festival

, Washington, Vancouver, Kansas City, Denver, St. Louis, Indianapolis; Poster Children
1987-
2009

800+ performances in the US and Europe


complete lists at posterchildren.com, tedium.us

Interactive / Installation

2014-
2016

Touch the Prairie, Beach Museum of Art, Manhattan, KS

Artwork and computer programming for interactive touchtable commissioned by Marianne Kistler Beach Museum of Art, connecting the museum’s collections, Kansas State Bio-art project “The Meadow” and the Konza prairie. Phase one installed in gallery, phase two in progress. (with Rose Marshack)

2014-
2016

Ange Milner Project

An interactive experience centered around ISNU librarian Ange Milner's extensive documentation of and correspondence with local men and women who served in World War I. The project explores commonalities between online social networks and their historical precursors. (with Rose Marshack)

2015

New Day

An online, interactive music video built with p5.js (HTML5 Canvas/Javascript).

2014

Dryer Lint – Normal Family of Four

A data visualization of dryer lint accumulated per day in 2013. The lint is hand-felted to a canvas 25 feet long. (with Rose Marshack)

2014

Neurotic Little Love Nest

An online, interactive music video built in HTML5 Canvas/Javascript for the band Bully Pulpit.

2013

Going Home

An online, interactive music video built with HTML5 Canvas/Javascript and shot on RED digital cameras (with Michael Markowski)

2013

In Grey

A collaborative music video built from clips submitted via Vine and Instagram by 30 contributors.

2013

Down to One

A touch-based online music video game built with the KineticJS Canvas framework.

2012

Machines

An online music video game built with HTML5 Canvas/Javascript.

2007-

Top Two News Words (By Hour)

Top news sources are parsed by a computer every hour and the two most frequently used words are determined and printed out on a continuous sheet of paper. The project is also archived online and available via Twitter.

2007

Message for the Future 01-09

A series of nine granite tiles laser etched with messages for a future reader.

24 Hour Walk

Twenty-four synchronized videos documenting a series of hourly walks around a half residential, half commercial city block over the course of one day, projected on a four walled column.

Memory Booth

A photo booth that captures the image of the current occupant while flashing the image of the previous occupant, temporarily "burning" the previous occupant's image into the current occupant's field of vision.

2006

Roadside Conversations

A portable video/audio recording and playback station built inside an Airstream trailer for the 50th Anniversary commemoration of the Eisenhower Interstate System. The project traveled across the country on I-80 recording visitors' narratives about the interstate. (with Steve Kostell and Rose Marshack, iDOT Grant $50,000)

2004

Eggpass

A social network trace project and homage to Stanley Milgram with machine-tracking. 12 eggs were created in black clay, inscribed with a Web site and a number and handed out. Recipients are told to visit the website and input their egg # and location, then pass the egg to a friend. (with Rose Marshack)

2004

Waking Hours

A photo taken every waking hour during 2003, arranged in a 24x365 grid and printed on a 40' banner.

Video

2015

New Day

, Thoughts Detecting Machines, Twelve Inch Records, Normal, IL.
2011

Enjoy the Ride

, Blackout Dates, Shelf Life Records, Chicago, IL.
2010

Pouring Sun

, Thoughts Detecting Machines, Twelve Inch Records, Normal, IL.

Knot

, Thoughts Detecting Machines, Twelve Inch Records, Normal, IL.
2003

Western Springs

, Poster Children, Hidden Agenda Records, Urbana, IL.
2001

Zero Stars- A DVD Tour Diary

, (80 minute feature), Poster Children,
Champaign International Pictures, Champaign, IL.

Vault the Movie

, (commercial) SourceGear Corporation, Champaign, IL.
2000

This Town Needs A Fire

, Poster Children, Spin Art Records, New York, NY.
1999

6x6

, Poster Children, Spin Art Records, New York, NY.
1997

21st Century

, Poster Children, Sire/Reprise Records, Los Angeles, CA.
1996

Rather

, Salaryman, City Slang Records, Berlin, Germany.

Exhibition

2015

Marianne Kistler Beach Museum of Art

, Manhattan, Kansas. (Touch the Prairie)
2014

ISU Faculty Biennial

, University Galleries, Normal, Illinois. (Dryer Lint)
2007

Facades

, Krannert Art Museum, Urbana, Illinois. (Memory Booth)

Dookie

, I Space Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. (Top Two News Words, Message for the Future)

School of Art + Design MFA Exhibition

, Krannert Art Museum, Urbana, Illinois
(24 Hour Walk, Top Two News Words, Message for the Future)
2005

iDMAA Conference

, Orlando, Florida. (Waking Hours)

Collections

2014

Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

, Urbana, Illinois.

Business records, photographs, correspondence and memorabilia of Poster Children, Salaryman and Twelve Inch Records were arranged and described over the summer 2014 and are now accessible to researchers through the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music.

Events, Speaking Engagements, Panels

2016-

Arts Tech Film Fest

, Normal Theater, Normal, Illinois.
Director, founder, co-curator. Annual four night festival highlighting films with technology as a main focus and featuring post-film discussions with invited guests and interactive student demos.
2016

Illinois Art Education Association Annual Conference

, Normal, Illinois, "Teaching VR and AR in the K-12 classroom", Presentation.

Teaching and Learning Symposium

, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, "Connecting the Dots for Effective Online Instruction”, Presentation.
2015

Ninth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

, Chicago, Illinois,

"Large-scale, public touchscreens as a teaching platform for the design of interactive web-based applications (updated)", Presentation.

2014

Answering the Call Lecture Series

, Milner Library, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, “Visualizing History: Social Networks before the Web”, Presentation (with Rose Marshack).

Faculty Summer Institute

, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, “After Course Redesign: Teaching what you've learned”, Presentation (with Rose Marshack).

Millikin University

, Decatur, Illinois. “Copyright Issues in the Fine Arts”, Invited Presentation (with Matthew Smith).

UCDA Design Education Summit

, Madison, Wisconsin, "Large-scale, public touchscreens as a teaching platform for the design of interactive web-based applications", Presentation.
2012

Technology and Pedagogy: Possibilities and Challenges

, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois, "Technology and Pedagogy: A Perspective from Faculty", Panelist.
2011

Illinois Art Education Association Annual Conference

, Normal, Illinois, "Digital Media and Art Education: Beyond the Hype", Presentation.
2010

TEDx UIllinois

, Urbana, Illinois, "The Music Business is Killing the Music Business", Invited presentation.
2007

Museum of Contemporary Art

, Chicago, Illinois, “Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll Since 1967”, Featured speaker for gallery tour.
2006

Krannert Art Museum

, Urbana, Illinois, "21st Century Tools For Artists", Invited presentation.
2003

Millikin University

, Decatur, Illinois. "The Real-Life Business of Music and Art", Invited presentation (also 2004, 2005).
2001

Trinity College

, Palos Heights, Illinois, "The Real Music Business", Invited presentation.
2000

South by Southwest Music Conference

, Austin, Texas, "DIY Internet Style", Panelist.

University Laboratory High School Agora Days

, Urbana, Illinois, "So you wanna be a rock-n-roll star?", Invited presentation.
1998

The Association for Computing Machinery: Reflections Projections Conference

University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, "Art and Music for Computer Scientists", Invited presentation.

Papers, Writings, Reviews

2017

“Top Two News Words (By Hour): Ten Years of Reduction and Reflection”

, Media-N: Journal of the New Media Caucus, Fall 2016. http://median.newmediacaucus.org/ uncovering-news-reporting-and-forms-of-new-media-art/
2015

“Thoughts Detecting Machines: Vinyl District First Date”

, Rick Valentin, The Vinyl District, March 25, 2015. http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2015/03/thoughts -detecting-machines-the-tvd-first-date/
2014

"Large-scale, public touchscreens as a teaching platform for the design of interactive web-based applications."

Rick Valentin, Rosanne Marshack. Reprinted in the Proceedings of the UCDA Design Education Summit.
2010

“Designing Websites”

, Laurence King Publishing. Academic Reviewer.
2008

"On Augmented Reality-Enabled Social Network Traces of Pratitya-samutpada (Interdependence)"

, Rose Marshack, Rick Valentin. Presented at the International Symposium on Electronic Arts, Singapore, July 2008. Reprinted in the Proceedings of the International Symposium on Electronic Arts.
2007

"Distributed Art and the Creative Technologist"

, Rick Valentin. Thesis, Master of Fine Arts at the School of Art and Design, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Awards and Grants

2008

Champaign-Urbana Local Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award


(Poster Children).
2007

Cool Website Award

, Content category, UIUC Webmasters Forum,
(Beckman Institute website).
2006

Roadside Conversations Grant

, $50,000, Illinois Department of Transportation.
2003

The Videographer Awards Award of Excellence

in Video Production (Vault the Movie).

CHAAMP Award Best Video Advertisement

 (Vault the Movie).

Recent Press

2017

Sound Ideas

, WGLT Radio Interview, “‘After Quiet Stretch, Thriving Bloomington-Normal Music Scene Makes Some Noise”, November 16, 2017. http://wglt.org/post/after-quiet-stretch-thriving-bloomington-normal-music-scene-makes-some-noise

Pantagraph

, “Poster Children: DIY or not at all ”, June 22, 2017. http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/music/poster-children-diy-or-not-at-all/

Pantagraph

, “Robots gone wild at ISU film fest ”, March 30, 2017. http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/robots-gone-wild-at-isu-film-fest/

OVRLD

, “A Home for Freaks: A Conversation with Poster Children”, January 6, 2017. http://ovrld.com/interviews/poster-children-interview/
2016

Pitchfork

, “What We Can Learn from the Political Music of Other Depressing Elections”, October 19, 2016. http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1326-what-we-can-learn-from-the-political- music-of-other-depressing-elections/

The Bay Bridged

, “Poster Children light up Bottom of the Hill”, October 17, 2016. http://thebaybridged.com/2016/10/17/review-photos-taxes-pay-dues-poster-children -light-bottom-hill/

The 21st

, Interview, WILL, Illinois Public Radio, September 22, 2016. http://will.illinois.edu/21stshow/program/poster-children-reunion-coal-mining- the-upcoming-election-superhero-window

Daily Illini

, “Q & A with Poster Children’s Rick Valentin”, September 20, 2016. http://dailyillini.com/features/2016/09/20/q-poster-childrens-rick-valentin/

News-Gazette

, “Poster Children: Back in action”, September 18, 2016. http://www.news-gazette.com/arts-entertainment/local/2016-09-18 /poster-children-back-action.html

Smile Politely

, “Poster Children, adults, and music in CU”, September 13, 2016 http://www.smilepolitely.com/music/poster_children_adults_and_music_in_c_u/

Innocent Words

, “Poster Children- Rick Valentin’s Daisychain Memories”, September 1, 2016. http://innocentwords.com/innocent-words-issue-111-september-2016-cover-story- poster-children-rick-valentins-daisychain-memories/

Brooklyn Vegan

, “Poster Children reissuing ‘Daisychain Reaction’ on Vinyl”, July 26, 2016. http://www.brooklynvegan.com/poster-children-reissuing-daisy-chain-reaction-on-vinyl- stream-if-you-see-kay-demo/

Sound Ideas

, WGLT Radio Interview, “‘War Games’ Gives a Glimpse Of Hackers To Come”, April 20, 2016. http://wglt.org/post/war-games-gives-glimpse-hackers-come

Vidette

, “Arts tech program presents tech-filled films”, April 18, 2016. http://www.videtteonline.com/news/arts-tech-program-presents-tech-filled-films/ article_90b35b68-04ca-11e6-9792-ebdcce8f34c2.html

Pantagraph

, “From IBM to VR in 4 easy steps”, April 14, 2016. http://www.pantagraph.com/from-ibm-to-vr-in-easy-steps/ article_9cec61ea-df66-560e-acc3-3ff9e6959e05.html

Pantagraph

, “Movies with tech’s appeal”, April 14, 2016. http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/go/movies-with-tech-s-appeal/ Article_bb59ef68-fb5c-50e8-85ea-05971ef412dc.html

Pantagraph

, “From EMRAC, with love and ubiquity”, April 14, 2016. http://www.pantagraph.com/blogs/craft-from-emerac-with-love-and-ubiquity/ Article_a8d3cb88-e25f-50a8-88b2-110438e1ddfd.html
2015

babysue

, “Thoughts Detecting Machines: Work the Circuits”, August 4, 2015. http://babysue.com/2015-Aug-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor24057

Ghost Track

, “Rick Valentin: Detecting a New Approach”, June 30, 2015. http://ghost-track.com/2015/06/30/rick-valentin-detecting-a-new-approach/

Performer Magazine

, “Thoughts Detecting Machines ‘New Day’ Video Premiere”, March 31, 2015. http://performermag.com/must-watch-thoughts-detecting-machines-new-day -exclusive-video-premiere/

Fast Company

, “DIY Musician Translates Audio Waveforms into 400 Slightly Different Album Covers”, March 18, 2015. http://www.fastcocreate.com/3043211/diy-musician-translates-audio -wave-forms-into-400-slightly-different-album-covers

Live in Limbo

, “Thoughts Detecting Machines: Work the Circuits”, March 18, 2015. http:// www.liveinlimbo.com/2015/03/18/new-music-releases/march-18-2015-thoughts -detecting-machines-awolnation-milk-bone.html

This is Book’s Music

, “Thoughts Detecting Machines’ Work the Circuits”, March 16, 2015. http://www.thisisbooksmusic.com/2015/03/15/review-thoughts-detecting-machines -work-the-circuits/

Innocent Words

, “Thoughts Detecting Machines: Work the Circuits”, March 4, 2015. http://innocentwords.com/thoughts-detecting-machines-work-the-circuits/

Insomnia Radio

, “Thoughts Detecting Machines: Night for Day”, March 4, 2015. http://insomniaradio.net/2015/03/04/thoughts-detecting-machines-night-for-day/

Brooklyn Vegan

, “Poster Children's Rick Valentin releasing debut solo album as Thoughts Detecting Machines”, February 20, 2015. http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/ 2015/02/poster_children.html

Magnet Magazine

, “MP3 at 3PM: Thoughts Detecting Machines”, February 11, 2015. http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2015/02/11/mp3-at-3pm-thoughts-detecting-machines/

Slicing Up Eyeballs

, “Premiere: Thoughts Detecting Machines’ ‘New Day’ — new single from Poster Children’s Rick Valentin”, January 26, 2015. http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2015/01 /26/thoughts-detecting-machines-new-day-stream-download/
2014

Stereo Embers Magazine

, “He’s My Star: An Interview with Rick Valentin on Poster Children, Junior Citizen, Thoughts Detecting Machines and Bully Pulpit”, May 2014. http://stereoembersmagazine.com/hes-star-interview-rick-valentin-poster-children-junior -citizen-thoughts-detecting-machines-bully-pulpit/

Pantagraph

, “The season of lint: From out of the dryer, a work of living art”, March 23, 2014. http://www.pantagraph.com/print-specific/pantagraph/ragged-body/the-season-of-lint-from -out-of-the-dryer-a/article_49540c8b-54d8-5be3-8a76-1d1b32fb9e92.html

Information Aesthetics

, “Canvas Shows All the Lint Generated by a Clothes Dryer during One Year”, February 2014. http://infosthetics.com/archives/2014/02/ canvas_shows_all_the_lint_generated_by_a_clothes_dryer_during_one_year.html
2013

Smile Politely

, “The thoughts of Thoughts Detecting Machines”, August 16, 2013. http://www.smilepolitely.com/music/the_thoughts_of_thoughts_detecting_machines

 

Updated December, 2017

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