The Creatives: Matt Stewart

With a street art-inspired aesthetic and a background in graphic design – with the strong marketing and branding expertise that comes with it – Brisbane artist Matt Stewart has been making quite the name for himself in the Australian design and art scene.

artist matt stewart

matt stewart art work

MY WORK

I love the work that I do because…
I create fun and vibrant artworks that bring pleasure to others. I love that a customer wakes up every day and is instantly put in a great mood just by looking at their artwork.

I am most inspired creatively by…
David Bromley. Anthony Lister. Michael Zavros. Each is successful in his own area of art for different reasons and I admire the vastly different ways that each one markets and brands themselves.

My favourite materials and style to work with are…
My style of work is quite individual in that I use mediums that aren’t often coupled together. I use aerosol paints along with acrylic paints to create a style that is bold and striking while having elements of softness and rawness to it. When I am asked what style of work do I produce, my answer is always “pop art with a street art edge”.

artwork

Work or play, I cannot live without…
Music – I listen to all types of music, depending on my mood and what inspiration I need at the time. And my wife Anna, who is a very important part of not only my life but also my career. I bounce my concepts off her for feedback from a female perspective which is extremely important considering my 95% female demographic customer base.

Three words that sum up my design aesthetic …
Bold. Energetic. Intriguing

When I’m in full project mode, my typical work day goes a little something like …
Early gym workout followed by a big breakfast locally, to fuel up. I live two blocks from my studio, so a walk there through Teneriffe helps me clear my mind and focus on the job at hand. It\’s not uncommon for me to then paint for 10-12 hours straight, working on 2-3 pieces. I’ll then finish the day replying to emails and working on upcoming projects.

matt stewart artwork

And when I’m done, my ideal weekend would be…
A couple of nights chilling out in Noosa. I am not a beach person, however I do love relaxing by the pool and reading a mixture of art and culture mags along with an interesting autobiography.

Right now I have in the works…
I have just released an ‘Art Cushion’ range, which I am very excited about.These premium cushions are 100% Australian Made and are different to anything currently on the market! I currently have a ten week wait for canvas commission works and continue to work on both private and corporate mural artworks. I’m shooting over to Hawaii in August to paint an ‘Australian themed’ mural also!

My dream creative project would be…
An official BMW ‘Art Car’! BMW is a brand that I have a great love for and to be chosen to paint an official ‘Ar t Car’ is something that I have always, and will continue to, work towards. I recently painted a brand new MINI Cooper 5 door for Motorline MINI Garage, so i’m building up towards that dream project!

matt stewart car design

MY HOME + ME

I share my home with…
my wife, Anna.

My home is located in…
Teneriffe, Brisbane.

My favourite room in our home is…
Our bedroom. We live in a really cool loft apartment and our bedroom is on the top level. The open feeling of the saw-tooth ceiling and the abundance of artworks (mostly not mine….I collect other artists’ work) means it\’s a beautiful place to relax and be inspired.

art cushions

LOCAL LIFE + STYLE

What I really love about where I live…
The character and history of the area.

My favourite local hangouts are…
For food, it’s Beccofino (without a doubt!). We love Twig & BerryBars :Twig & Berry, Gerards and Sixes & Sevens for bar hopping. For shopping, it’s James Street in Fortitude Valley and for lifestyle in general, it’s anywhere on the river on a Sunday afternoon.

I never leave home without…
My iPhone. My life is on that thing and I need it to keep my workload on track.

Designers that I admire the most…
Dinosaur Designs, Givenchy and architect Shaun Lockyer.

givenchy artwork

shoe print

Currently on my wish list is…
An Anthony Lister canvas artwork piece.

The motto I like (or try!) to live by…
Don’t be afraid to fail! It helps us strive towards things without worrying about the ‘what if’s’ and opens up so many more opportunities.

black and white artwork

Photography by Marina Ridgway

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