Elijah Anderson is an American visual artist based in Brooklyn whose work blends the raw energy of street culture with the clarity of graphic design and the spirit of social engagement. His practice, influenced by graffiti, skateboarding, hip-hop, and vintage cartoons, centers on drawing as a generative and improvisational process. Seen in Nose Dive at Ruby/Dakota, Anderson’s diaristic, cyanotype-like drawings mix casual handwriting, cartoonish forms, and quick scene studies, creating a bold, minimal, and often humorous visual language that moves between personal reflection and social commentary.
Mural for Effervescence at Mews (Apr 25, 2025 — Apr 29, 2025), group show, curated by Shannon Lai
Everything I experience to be honest..I often let my work come out quite naturally, and what ends up coming out represents so many different aspects of my own life and living in general. People, emotions, music, nature, surfing, skateboarding, graffiti etc. have all had huge impacts on me. There are elements of all of these things in my practice, whether it be explicitly illustrated or shown through styles found through shared emotions that all of these things bring.
Wake up in a new place, spend the day at the beach, paint a wall, play music, cook over a fire, party with friends, an abrupt end to the evil powers at work in the world
I was pretty shy growing up but always had some friends who shared similar interests. Growing up in Florida, I spent a lot of time at the beach and outside. I got into skating in elementary school, and started playing drums in middle school, which ended up taking me to college. Skating, graffiti, surfing, making music have all come in and out of my life at different points but these were all shaping me from an early age.
About 5 years ago during covid. I had the time, and thankfully extra support from unemployment, to finally pursue it seriously. Thankfully, I also had enough people reaching out to keep me busy. Some of these brands I still work with today and i owe a lot to how far I’ve come to them.
The human experience, mysteries of living. Humor, emotions, politics, among many other things I’m into like music, surfing etc. all seem to make their way into my work consciously and subconsiously.
All my friends who are putting in the work in their respected fields. Anyone pursuing their passions regardless of how difficult this world makes it for us. Anyone working a job they don’t want to work to support themselves or family and still put the effort in to pursue their passions!!
Always changing, mostly music- electronic, country, rap, friends mixes /playlists, jazz, rock, hardcore…list goes on. I am not very picky with music as long as it’s good lol. Sometimes a podcast but nothing ever super heady, I have a hard time focusing on podcasts if I'm working sometimes. Also listening to a million thoughts in my head 24/7 but that’s a given.
The whole world is the art world and to think of the art world as this capitalist, intimidating entity defeats the purpose.
Elijah Anderson, Train moniker (2025)
Outside
ViBeEzzzz ;)
The ocean or any nice body of water really
Be here now by Ram Dass
Barbarian Days by William Finnegan
I paint what I want to see by Philip Guston
Seeing is Forgetting the name of what one sees by Robert Irwin
Idk if everyone really needs to read all of these, but these have stood out to me in the past few years
Feel like I’ll get a lot of shit if I don’t say NYC so I’ll just leave it at that even though this place is absolutely ridiculous sometimes
Still learning everyday. Trust the process, try not to associate money with what I’m making, try not to think about the outcome, mistakes are friends. I’m still very much learning how to live like this.
I broke my arm in the same spot two times when I was younger, both times on a slide. Needless to say I have gotten practice and am good at going down slides now.
Always a great feeling when someone tells me how inspired they are by what I do!
Slowly but surely all of my skills and hobbies. Jack of some trades mastering slowly... Surfing, drumming, being a decent human.
Cover illustration for POPEYE #895: “Coffee and Travel” (November 2021)
Just making it this far working for myself is enough to make me proud, especially in New York. POPEYE cover illustration was def a big highlight in my career, but I’m always proud of each project that gets completed, especially with people and brands I respect.
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