Born in Brooklyn, Robert Cottingham is known for his paintings and prints of urban American landscapes, particularly building facades, neon signs, movie marquees and shop fronts. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1958, he earned a bachelor’s in fine arts at Pratt Institute in 1963. Cottingham’s work is strongly influenced by photorealism and pop art, although he classifies himself as neither type of artist.
Cottingham has taught at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles and the National Academy of Design in New York. He is the recipient of two Leo Meissner Prizes for Graphics (2007 and 2005), two MacDowell residencies, and Fellowships from the Huntington Museum of Art and the National Endowment for the Arts. His work has been included in hundreds of group and solo exhibitions.
