Marius Valdes

Marius Valdes is an artist currently based in Columbia, South Carolina. He is a Professor in Studio Art concentrating on Design and Illustration at The University of South Carolina. Valdes received his BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Georgia and his MFA in Visual Communication from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2005.

Valdes has been recognized by design publications such as Graphic Design USA, HOW, Print, Communication Arts, Creative Boom, Creative Quarterly, STEP, and industry competitions including American Illustration, World Illustration Awards, AIGA InShow, AIGA SEED Awards, and The South Carolina Advertising Federation Addy Awards.

Valdes' work has been featured in several books about contemporary graphic design and illustration. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions internationally. Valdes has presented at academic conferences about design and illustration related topics.

Valdes has completed large scale murals for Richland Library and MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital as well as editorial illustration for The Washington Post.

The Degenerate Art Project is a week-long multidisciplinary arts event (July 9–12 at Stormwater Studios) inviting Columbia artists to respond to today's socio-political climate, and unite our local arts community—physically and in spirit—in support and solidarity during challenging times. Inspired by—and reclaiming—the legacy of the Nazi-labeled “Degenerate Art” of 1937, this project champions creative resistance and free expression through a visual art exhibition, featuring over 20 Midlands artists, and one-night-only poetry, community and music events.