Born and raised in Denver, Colorado Cortney Anderson spent a lot of time with her mom painting and with her grandma doing any and every art project they could think of. Her other grandma she taught how to make Jewelry. It’s safe to see creativity runs in the family. With so much support she got into art school starting in the 7th grade and would later move to Chicago to attend the Art Institute of Chicago to pursue her passion. In the words of Viola Davis, "I became an artist, and thank God I did, because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life."

       

For me, art has always been my safe heaven when I'm stressed, a way of venting when I'm frustrated, and meditation when I need relaxation. My main influences in my art practice include Afrofuturism and the Napministy. The past few years especially have shown me just how important it is to imagine better futures while still living present. I don’t believe in escapism but I do believe in Black joy and Black rest.

 

I received my BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a focus in visual communication. Since my graduation I've interned at Chicago Design Museum and Laughlin Constable as a graphic design intern, and Disney as a product design intern. Currently I am a graphic designer on the events team at HashiCorp.