Timothy Goodman made his mark in New York City with a paint marker in his hand.
Goodman is a New York City-based artist, muralist, commercial illustrator, graphic designer, and author. His larger-than-life graphic lettering style has attracted the attention of major brands such as Apple, YSL, Samsung, and Uniqlo, and even partnered with Nike and Kevin Durant to design a basketball shoe.
Hand-drawn bold lettering, self-designed products, and colorful displays of art are all along the walls of Goodman’s studio—a nostalgic journey through his artistry.
Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, Goodman watched his grandmother create intricately designed labels on her homemade jam jars; a constant state of creativity surrounded him.
Goodman moved to New York City 20 years ago to continue pursuing his career as an artist at the School of Visual Art in Manhattan, where he studied graphic design. Today, Goodman’s art has been displayed in publications such as The New York Times and The New Yorker.
“So my biggest inspiration for my art is truly New York City, like being, living here for 20 years, feeling the energy of the people, the energy of the city, the hustle, it really makes me want to always step up my game,” said Goodman.
Starting with a background in commercial art, he developed a connection to his community through street art. In 2020, he painted a basketball court for P.S. 315 in Brooklyn, in partnership with the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation.
“I think that creating public art, there’s a real sense of duty and responsibility built into that, you know, like you create something, it becomes a form of ownership for that neighborhood or that community, it becomes their piece of art after you leave,” said Goodman. “I think that that is very valuable, and as long as I’m making work that’s meaningful for me and to other people, I think I’m somewhat on the right path.”
Goodman says his art helps him ‘identify with the human experience’, following themes of love, heartbreak, politics, and mental health. “I mean, I want people to feel something, you know, at the end of the day, whether they love it or hate it, if I can make you laugh or cry, or even if you want to think it’s corny,” Goodman said.
His hand-drawn lettering with paint markers is a bold and geometric style. Goodman recognizes the greats who came before him, crediting them for paving the way for today’s artists. “We are all descendants of Keith Haring,” Goodman explained.
“You know, I like being a visual artist, but I also want to connect to people on a very human level, and I like communication, and I like to express myself more than anything.” Goodman’s life experiences have been a great inspiration for his work. A 2019 trip to Paris prompted the creation of Goodman’s book, “I Always Think It’s Forever”.
“I finally had something to say,” Goodman said as he recounted his journey to finding his own graphic style. Now that he had found his own style, voice, and was learning about how to positively impact the community around him, there was only one question left to ask himself; “how do I make this feeling last forever?”
