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RICK CABALLO Person to Watch 2018 by Graphic Design USA Magazine
HEAD OF CREATIVE, DEAD HORSE BRANDING, NASHVILLE TN
Equally at home on stage performing before thousands, or working up designs for cutting-edge brands, Rick is nothing if not creative. This accomplished singer-songwriter, artist, photographer and designer has a rare combination of charisma and ingenuity that makes him a true renaissance man. Rick owns his own creative playground working alongside wife and business partner Melissa Core. At Dead Horse Branding, Rick’s in charge of creative as a fashion designer, graphic designer, artist, photographer and videographer. Rick’s fashion was acknowledged in 2014 when he was inducted into the Tennessee State Museum Textiles Institute for changing the face of Country fashion. His painted art is also published in Celebrites Gallery, Maui, alongside other celebrity artists including Ronnie Wood and Steven Tyler. Rick’s latest work is a coffee table book that he designed, photographed and co-authored called “Elvis, Strait to Jesus.” The book, published by Hachette, features over 40 celebrities and will hit the shelves in May 2018. Rick is challenging the traditional boundaries between music, art, fashion and design.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW? Born in Wollongong, NSW Australia (1.5 hrs South of Sydney)
DID YOU GO TO DESIGN SCHOOL? I did a four year apprenticeship as a sign-writer at the Sydney Institute of Technology
LEFTY OR RIGHTY? Righty
MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL? Both, I don’t sleep
FICTIONAL OR HISTORICAL CHARACTER YOU IDENTIFY WITH? Larry David, I am known to have quite a direct approach – my nick name is no filter
ARE YOU MUSICAL AND/OR DO YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT? I originally came to the US as a touring Singer Songwriter, working on New EP as we speak
FAVORITE BOOK? Life by Keith Richards
FAVORITE MOVIE? Austin Powers, Goldmember
FAVORITE TV BINGE WATCH? Silicon Valley, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM? I dislike all social media but our company uses Facebook and Instagram the most
FAVORITE FINE ARTIST? Sebastian Kruger (unbelievable!!!!)
FAVORITE CHARITY? Who ever needs it the most
FAVORITE FREE TIME ACTIVITY? Mountain bike riding, motorcycles and building furniture
COLLECT ANYTHING? Good people
COLOR USED MOST OFTEN IN YOUR DESIGN? Black
TYPEFACE USED MOST OFTEN IN YOUR DESIGN? Helvetica, simple but perfect
DOES PRINT HAVE A ROLE IN YOUR DESIGNS? At the moment I’m finishing up a coffee table book called “Elvis, Strait, to Jesus – An Iconic Producers Journey with Legends of Rock’n’Roll, Country & Gospel Music.” It features over forty celebrities like Jimmy Buffett, Lionel Richie, Reba McEntire, and members of Elvis’ TCB band. The book is about legendary music producer Tony Brown and his life story.
GREATEST STRENGTH/WEAKNESS AS A DESIGNER? My strength is in branding, marketing what you have created, and reverse engineering what you have created so it can have components attached to it
ADVICE TO A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT? Computers are only a tool! It’s super important to be able to scratch out a design on a napkin with a real pen or pencil, especially in front of a possible client. If you get lazy and just use what’s available online your designs will look like the next guys work.
IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? I’m in fashion, photography, and painting, so I guess I’m already doing it.
A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY? Inspiration is the mother of all invention
