DESIGN | "Create, inspire, brand, and market": AIGA Minnesota honors the best in local design

The Minnesota chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design, will hold its 32nd annual Design Show this Friday, March 26, from 6-9 p.m. at the Walker Art Center. For this year's show, entrants were asked to "show your block." Christina Rimstad, Design Show chair, explained that "'Show Your Block' is a call to designers out there to display their genius, demonstrate their pride by showing us their best ‘blockbusting' work created over the past year."

Winning work from the show will be on display, sorted by the categories of Advertising and/or Branding Campaigns, Annual Reports, Brochures, Case Studies, Direct Mail, Green Leaf Award, Identity System, Illustration, Invitations/Announcements, Logos/Marks, Miscellaneous, Packaging, Posters, Public Service, Self-Promotions, Signage/Environmental Design, Student Work and Interactive.

The Fellow Awards will be held in the Walker's Cargill Lounge from 5-6 p.m.; recipients Sue Crolick, Joe Duffy, and Eric Madsen will speak and show their work. Around 6 p.m., the doors to the Skyline Lounge will open, revealing the winners of this year's Design Show. Attendees will vote for the "People's Choice Award," to determine this year's best-in-show. DJ So Gold will be spinning music in the Hennepin Lounge, where drinks and hors d'oeuvres from Wolfgang Puck catering will be available.

Minnesota AIGA honors three local designers every year, selecting those who have made a tremendous impact on the community. Sue Crolick is among this year's fellows. She worked in advertising for the first part of her career, then in 1994 founded the nonprofit Art Buddies, which pairs low-income youths with art professionals. Joe Duffy is recognized for his work in brand and corporate identity, including his work for Coca-Cola and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Eric Madsen is a founding member of Minnesota AIGA and has also worked on the board of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

Rimstad points out a necessary function of AIGA: to support its community. "As a professional organization whose charge it is to educate the value of our industry to business, it's also our duty to stand tall and pat ourselves on the collective back," said Rimstad. "Yes, times are tough, employees have been laid off and doors have closed. We continue to create, inspire, brand, and market. Try and stop us."

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Crystal Erickson

Crystal Erickson (toffee_rox@hotmail.com) is a freelance writer and photographer, with preoccupations in hip-hop, art, and bicycle anarchy.