Living in the South Bend area, there is a high possibility that you may have spotted a unique orange car around town. It has certainly caught my attention and as of recently I’ve been seeing it pop up more often–even in the parking lot of my workplace! The car’s extensive and bright decorations immediately piqued my curiosity as to who was behind such artistry.
M.T Giddings is a 42-year-old artist responsible for the making of The Maxi. They have lived in the Michiana area since age 22, until they began traveling around the country to places such as San Francisco for experience, Chicago, Bloomington, and Greensboro. After running a contemporary art museum and artist residency, they moved back to South Bend around three years ago where they continue to create. When asked if art is more of a hobby than a career, Giddings shared a statement I can highly relate with: “Neither and both. I am an artist all of the time.” Though aside from art, they work at Motels4Now. a homeless shelter that supports unhoused adults in selling and showing their arts in exhibits, due to their creation of the shelter’s Art Workshop in 2024; “We have had three exhibitions since June of 2025 and our
artists have earned over $5,000 from the sales of their artworks. We will have several
shows in South Bend this year including at the main library and at Cloudwalking.” says Giddings.
The passion and talent from Giddings may possibly be genetic, as their parents were both artists as well who kept an art studio in their home growing up. Paired with the influence of their family, Giddings also practiced at art classes at the South Bend Museum of Art and signed up for as many art classes as they could during their school years. Creating art for them is more than just simple creation. They describe it as magic, as it serves as an outlet for them to express their interests; “I believe every human is filled with the creative spirit and it comes out one way or another: how we dress, how we arrange objects in our home, etc. It doesn’t matter whether it is labeled as art or not.” says Giddings.
The bright car (named “The Maxi”) first originated when Giddings moved to Michigan and did not have a vehicle to drive: “When I first moved back to South Bend in 2022, I only had a bicycle, so I cycled year-round and used the bus. A friend offered me a free car and, at first, I said no.” They contemplated the offer and made a deal with themselves to accept the free car as long as they utilized it creatively, thus sparking the origins of The Maxi. Giddings also developed the art project for the local community with the intention of connecting others with contemporary art; “It is an injection of something different in the everyday lives of people who encounter it.” A deeper significance is shown through the decorations as a creative way of storytelling. For instance, these objects include the color orange, underwater imagery, and reflections: “An artist taught me that orange is the chakra color of creative, emotional, and sensual energy. This really resonated with me. It resonated even further that it is the color of warning: road cones and safety lights.” says Giddings. The fun backstory behind The Maxi is that the vehicle emerged from a portion of Lake Michigan where orange lava lies at the bottom. It’s covered in shells, barnacles and seaweed from the water as well as reflective objects that were placed by merpeople. They also welcome gifted items to be added onto the car!
Giddings drives The Maxi out almost everyday, given that it’s their only car. Despite this, they have surprisingly not gotten many special encounters with it. This year, they plan to transform the interior of The Maxi by figuring out the PA system and turning it into a street performance art. Giddings hopes to engage the public with The Maxi and invites all interactions in the hopes of connecting with others within the community: “I think my favorite is when kids’ eyes light up and when they realize they get to play with the noisemakers and xylophone attached to the hood of the car. I think it is a powerful and transgressive thing to see happen to a car. I am happy to be providing this service to young people in South Bend, you’re welcome.”
In my personal opinion, I think that The Maxi brings more color and whimsy to the local community–Literally and figuratively. This city is home to so many wonderful artists and I believe the city needs more public art, which Giddings’ project is a perfect example of. Even for me, it’s always exciting when I continue to spot it around the area and I don’t doubt that others feel the same way. In my eyes, The Maxi is a symbol of pure creativity and expression that feels a little rare for me in this era of generative AI. I truly admire and thank Giddings for all their contribution to the South Bend community!
You can find and support Giddings on their artist website, Instagram (@mtgoddangs, @theorangemaxi), LinkedIn, and at Motels4Now Art Workshop!
