Riverdale Mural by Vince Ballentine
With more open-air spaces, hilly areas, and views of the Hudson Valley mountains, Riverdale is a unique community in the Bronx. The moving design elements are where the mural truly shows the neighborhood’s spirit: the train rolling through, people exercising, arrows pointing in abstract forms for the background, and the sun setting. This is Riverdale.
about the artist
Vincent Ballentine is a multi-disciplined visual artist based in Brooklyn, NY. With a degree in film and education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and continued study in film at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Vincent’s media ranges from digital illustration and animation, to large-scale murals and street art.
As an independent contractor, Vincent has worked with organizations including Groundswell, Progressive Arts Alliance, and Creative Art Works–through which he has created work for Whole Foods, the NYC Housing Authority, a myriad of schools throughout the five boroughs, and Rikers Island. As a freelance artist, Vincent has traveled internationally and been commissioned to create work for the likes of the NCAA, MTV, BET, and festivals such as Wall Therapy, O+, and Meeting of Styles in Germany.
Vincent earned an Emmy for his performance in MLB Network’s “Fall Colors,” where a timelapse recording of himself painting creates the backdrop for post animations. Vincent’s work never stops evolving, as demonstrated by his 2020 U.S. State Department residency in Ethiopia as an ambassador for hip hop. His company, Matlock Studios, has built relationships with local business-developing organizations, and the NYC Department of Education and Department of Transportation. Thriving through personal and artistic growth, Vincent aims to contribute his brand of style and vision to the art community through mentorship and youth guidance.