I’m a Chicago-based artist and art director, and I love to make things.

And I like to make things that are beautiful, smart, and maybe kinda silly. Actually, especially if they’re silly.

I don’t approach a campaign as a way to change the cultural zeitgeist; I look at it as a visual puzzle that needs a sharp, intentional solution. And if my years playing Zelda have taught me anything, it’s that I know how to solve a mf puzzle.

My toolbox isn’t complicated. It’s built on core design principles and distinctly curated taste. I like to think that I never stopped being a student, always honing my skills and understanding of the “why.” But I don’t take myself too seriously—a deep understanding of rules and process only serves you if you know when to challenge it.

Some might just call it craft. Now there’s something AI will never give you.

Say hi: chr.baldwin@gmail.com

Experience

VML Chicago
Senior Art Director, 2022-Present

Fitzco Atlanta
Art Director, 2020-2022

Mailchimp
Freelance Art Director, 2019-2020

Patrick Fraser Studio
Studio Assistant, 2017-2018

Education

The Creative Circus
Art Direction, 2020

Indiana University Bloomington
BFA Photography, 2018

Selected Clients

Abbott, Butterball, Checkers & Rally’s, Constellation Brands, Franke Kitchen Solutions, Frenchs, Fulton County Georgia, Kohl’s, Kraft-Heinz, MedExpress, Mellow Mushroom, Nestlé Vital Proteins, Pizza Hut, YMCA