About

Who?

This site is the blog and webcomic of Matt Maldre, a graphic designer and public spaces artist in Chicago.

  • Encourage creativity in everyone.
  • Finding the joy in little things.
  • A new idea every day.
  • Always be learning, and share what you learn with others.

What’s on this site

This site is a place to share interesting thoughts. Whenever I have an idea for an art project, I’ll post it here and the feedback from others really helps the idea to grow and be much more. I love it when people leave feedback on my ideas.

Spudart?

What does “spudart” mean? My approach to street art; and a list of my art projects.

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Social Media

My websites

Day job

Senior Designer/Web Marketing Strategist for Tribune Content Agency in the historic Tribune Tower on the Magnificent Mile of downtown Chicago. Some occasional illustration work for them too. (More details on my Linkedin profile)

Interviews

  • The interview with Sixty Inches from Center said “Matt Maldre who creates probably some of the most non-intrusive, non-defacing, hyper-curious yet completely obvious forms of public art”
  • I was the Gapers Block feature of the week for the Arts + Culture section in July 2008.
  • Chicagoscope interviewed me about my baseball scorecard techniques in August 2006 (podcast no longer available online).
  • Another interview by Chicagoscope in December 2007. This time we talked about a handout I designed to help save public transit in Chicago (podcast no longer available online).

If you’d like to interview me, I’m open anytime. Let’s get in touch.

Influential artists

  • Joseph Beuys (The great teacher and artist. Warmth over coldness)
  • Jörg Immendorff (German artist who coined the phrase, “Painting must assume the function of the potato. He makes great paintings too.)
  • Christo (A fantastic installation artist that really involves the community and all aspects of life into his art. When he can get the cashier ladies at the grocery store to discuss what is art, oh dude! That is incredible)
  • Edward Hopper (Great moods established by his work. Amazing colors)
  • Jackson Pollock (The studly artist himself.)
  • Starn Twins (Their work is totally my aesthetic)
  • Laslzo Moholy-Nagy (The masta of transparency and structure)
  • Erik Maldre (creative work, my twin)
  • Mati Maldre (my dad the photography professor)
  • Andy Goldsworthy (incredible arrangements made in nature from rocks, sticks, leaves, etc.)

Wishlists

My amazon wishlist. It’s got a bunch of books, CDs, games, and other fun things that I’d like to get. Do you have a wish list?

Personality Type

According to the Myers-Briggs personality test, I’m either an INTJ (the Mastermind) or INTP (the Logician, Philosopher) Go ahead and take the personality test. Contact me and let me know what you are.

What I like

Theology, croquet, art (art theory, public art, oil pastels), design, structures, stats, metaphors for life, libraries, predicting fog, digging holes, toys, chicago cubs, how thing are made, benches instead of chairs, observing solar flare activity, big thick furniture, wool, welding, wrapping gifts in wacky ways, the color gray, macs, paper airplanes, dirt, window washers. View over 500 of my favorite things.

Favorite books

Contact me, I’ll be happy to talk.