About
Say Hello: Rmadraw@gmail.com
Rob Anderson is a visual artist from Queens, New York City, born June 10th, 1989. Like a skilled improvisational musician, Rob looks at any space as an opportunity and with bold lines and shapes ignites his audiences innate connection to creativity. His work is delightfully free and irreverently reverent. Community work is a core of Rob's art path. In 2017, he began to volunteer summer art classes and mural workshops with the youth groups at Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) in the Bronx. This led to his participation in fundraising events and interactive group mural projects. From 2018 to 2019, Rob worked with Federal Realty Investment Trust and the Fresh Meadows community to produce six outdoor murals geared towards Queens, NYC. This led to several opportunities ranging in producing a 2000 square foot mural for Rego Center, Queens, and private commissions for the Mcdermott Will and Emery penthouse law offices located inside One Vanderbilt, Manhattan. His interactive “Kittizen” murals have been featured at events throughout New York City, Florida, California, New Jersey, and Hungary, encouraging thousands of participants of all backgrounds and ages to collaborate in the art process. Recently, Rob visited Hungary from June to July 2022, working with students at a vocational school, the LEGO factory, the Museum of Fine Arts, and put together a solo exhibition of over 16 new artworks inspired by his journey. He is an alumni and grant recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship program, and a teaching artist with the Brooklyn Arts Council. If you ever find Rob in the wild, he will happily offer you to join his mural making process, sharing his brushes, guidance, and a doodle to anyone who is captivated.
Recent Work
2022
LakásKíallítás (Apartment Exhibit), Budapest, Hungary
Solo art exhibition
Stayed in Budapest for one month in the heart of the West End and created 16 drawings and paintings inspired by the journey. Self organized a weekend art exhibition. Framed and installed all work. Invited guests ranging from family, friends, locals, tourists, gallery owners, and local artists. Catered food and drinks. Held group art activities including a collaborative wall painting featuring work from 4 different artists. Loaned a 25 SQ ft painting to hang in Wesselényi Miklós Technical Secondary School in Nyíregyháza.
Tekerd!, Nyíregyháza, Hungary
Teaching artist, muralist, selected mosaic artist
Students interpreted my Kittizen mural, designed and assembled it as a 5x5 foot LEGO mosaic and displayed it at an exhibition in Budapest. I taught drawing and community mural making at their vocational school in Nyíregyháza and created a 7’x4.5’ foot mural with students on their LEGO studio classroom doors.
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
Teaching artist, live event artist and auctioned work at fundraiser
Created a 3’x3’ foot live artwork during annual fund raising gala. Invited guests to participate in painting together. Live auctioned artwork raised $4,500 and donated all the proceeds to the center. Volunteer art teacher with youth summer camp program teaching drawing, mural workshops, and leadership training.
Aldene Elementary, Roselle Park NJ
Teaching artist and muralist
Worked with local arts organization and teachers to provide drawing lessons, art inspiration talks, and Q&A with every class in the school. Designed and created a 9’x9’ foot “Kittizen” mural inside the school with the help of over 100 staff and students working together.
Vornado Realty, Rego Center
Event Coordinator, Community Artist
Organized a weekend “Kittizen” painting event for the Rego Park Community. Completed two 5’x5’ foot canvases and engaged with several local families to participate in a free group painting activity.
Brooklyn Arts Council
Teaching artist
Directed an 8 week after-school Art Club at P.S. 19Q. Organized virtual art tours, visual presentations, group paintings, drawing lessons, t shirt designing workshops, and leadership training activities with over 30 students between grades 3- 5. Worked alongside community liaisons, guidance counselors, and co-teachers to assist in the individual development of students in the classroom and beyond.
Southern State Connecticut University
Presenter
Was selected by college president Joe Bertolino to present “Drawing from Community,” a story of how art impacts communities, followed by a group character development activity with college students during the SCU leadership retreat.
2021
New York Foundation for the Arts
Grant recipient.
Designed an 800 square foot school mural for P.S. 19Q on Roosevelt avenue and 99th st.
Held daily mural workshops with participation from P.S. 19 students and their families. Also taught 4th and 5th grade art/drawing classes during the afternoons in support of introducing multiple disciplines through a creative lens.
Vornado Realty
Public art installation and community artist.
Designed 2000 square foot mural for the Rego Center atrium on 63rd drive and queens blvd.
Held mural workshops inviting daily participation from local residents and workers.
Held 3 community art days with 300+ participants completing 3 paint by numbers canvases.
Worked on art decals for vacant storefronts to bring color and atmosphere to empty windows.
New York Hall of Science
Grand re-opening art activation painter.
Directed a 3 day art activity with 3 6x6 ft paint by numbers canvases completed by 300+ participants. Designed the outlines of the paintings to the themes of architecture, science, and outer space.
Trained and developed activity staff.
Roselle Park Arts Festival NJ
Painted a 6x7 ft interactive canvas with 80+ participants.
Held family art workshop and drawing tutorials.
Parkside Ave Revitalization Event BK
Live painting alongside performing musicians.
Held a live auction of the painting and donated proceeds to local art beautification organization.
Private Art Show with Micasa events BK
Transformed 3 story brownstone into an art show and performance space. Installed all work, hired catering, event staff, and musical guests. Created a 5x7ft interactive canvas with 30+ participants.
One World Trade Center
Spike’s Soirée performing artist.
Volunteered as live artist for Spike’s K9 penthouse fundraiser event in support of first responders and servicemen. Auctioned live painting, custom shoes and jackets, and donated all proceeds to Spike’s K9 fund.
One Vanderbilt
McDermott Will and Emery Collection with Lendrum Fine Arts.
Created two 5x5 foot canvases for penthouse conference rooms, and a 400 sq ft mural for their 45th floor lobby entrance.
Short Film Animator
Produced a two minute dance animation during COVID lockdowns remotely, working with musicians, choreographers, and film makers.
2020
Superfine! Art Fairs
Live interactive artist for Los Angeles and San Francisco art fairs.
Installed and hosted paint by numbers activity totaling over 350 square feet across 4 canvases and 400+ participants.
Wall of Justice Community Murals BK (Sackett st./ 4th ave.)
Participated with several artists to transform an empty lot into a public mural display. Held a 4 day art event inviting friends and locals to learn about mural making and participate in dialogs on social justice.
Shopcore Properties (Roosevelt ave./ College point blvd.)
Flushing Meadows Kindness Mural Artist
Transformed plywood storefront coverings with a 400 sq ft mural about kindness. Invited daily participation from protest/rally attendees.
*Since Removed
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
Summer art workshop director
Coordinated and taught summer art classes with the community youth center. Completed 2 group canvases, and a 250 sq ft community garden mural. Participated in two fundraiser events auctioning live paintings and donating all proceeds.
Federal Realty (188th st./ Horace Harding blvd.)
Produced six murals in the Fresh Meadows shopping plaza with community participation from local high school students totaling over 1200 sq ft. Took part in restorative justice activities that invited vandals to assist in the mural painting.