Whitney Anderson Rooney (she/her) is a self-taught visual artist working primarily with acrylic and oil mediums, with a particular focus on figurative portraits that depict vices, nonchalance, and, at times, surrealism. I am often recognized for my melancholic portraits of people smoking—an activity I don’t personally care for but it’s an effort to promote transparency around human behavior. In 2024, Whitney founded Antonym Collective, a creative studio and gathering space in 78th St Studios dedicated to helping other creative small businesses take the first step beyond a home business. The other side of WAR & Interiors is a residential design consulting business where she has the opportunity to celebrate other artists. Whitney is originally from Tampa, FL, a historically Cuban city where her grandfather was born. While in the Coast Guard he met her grandmother who felt like one of the first Mexicans in Tampa. The unlikely combination of cultures fostered an interest in identity and an effort to share with others how different the Latin experience can be.

Oil Painting
Acrylic Painting
Cuban
Mexican
Open to Commissions
Open to Residencies
Open to Project Collaboration
Open to other Opportunities