Catlanta

Atlanta, GA

Catlanta, aka Rory Hawkins, is an Atlanta based artist primarily known for his colorful and fun paintings of cats. He has produced hundreds of paintings under the moniker ‘Catlanta’, a name that grew from a few cats Rory spray painted on the walls of underpasses and abandoned properties throughout Atlanta in 2011.

Inspired by nondestructive art movements like Free Art Friday, Rory transitioned from painting cats on walls to creating small, hand painted wooden cutouts of his iconic three-legged cat (called kittens) which he hides around town for anyone to find. Rory shares photo clues of the piece’s location and invites his followers to track down and keep any kitten that they can find.

These ‘art drops’ are meant to highlight the people, places, and events that make Atlanta and other cities unique while inspiring exploration and engagement within the community where the artwork is hidden.