FROM THE FAMILY OF ROBERT B. STULL

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Rob Stull

After a very private and valiant effort battling cancer, Robert B. Stull of Milton, Massachusetts, transitioned peacefully from this physical world on the evening of April 17, 2025. In his immediate family, Rob is survived by his sisters Cydney Garrido (married to Alex Garrido) and Gia Stull of Melbourne, Florida; his niece and great-nephews Alexandra Rush (married to Barry Rush) and Odell and Xander Rush of Atlanta, Georgia; and his nephew Kyle Gens of Brooklyn, New York. Preceded in death by his father, Donald L. Stull and mother, Patricia Ann Ryder Stull.

According to Rob’s wishes, there will be no funeral. His family is planning a tribute and celebration of his life – date and time to be determined. Please stay tuned to Rob’s social media platforms for information on when and where this celebration will take place:

Instagram > @robstull24
Facebook > Rob Stull
website > robstull.com

In the meantime, if you would like to do something now in his honor, please consider making a donation in support of any cancer research efforts, the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, Inc., The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, or the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

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The Mural Project

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Rob Stull

LOCAL ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE CULTIVATE HIP-HOP CULTURE THROUGH STREET ART

“As artists-in-residence at the MFA, muralist Rob “Problak” Gibbs and illustrator Rob Stull are leading a multipart project inspired by the exhibition “Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation.” Highlighting intergenerational connections and the importance of youth participation in cultivating hip-hop culture, the project includes a community mural, a series of original drawings, a publication and map of street art around Boston, and a documentary video.

Gibbs, co-founder of Boston’s Artists for Humanity, worked with students from Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and Artists for Humanity on conception and art direction to create a new outdoor mural in Roxbury. The mural, Breathe Life 2, centers on a girl enveloped by a giant bubble surrounded by books, ideas, art, and knowledge emanating from her backpack. It will be painted onto the exterior of Madison Park High School, a mile from the MFA. Stull, a comic book and graphic design professional who has worked for Marvel and DC comics, created a visual response to “Writing the Future” with a series of tribute drawings to four artists in the exhibition and one to Gibbs. The black-and-white drawings use the graphic language of comic book art to honor hip-hop culture.

This artistic collaboration, symbolizing the power of creativity and learning, parallels another important community initiative: raising awareness about health and wellness, particularly regarding diabetes management. In line with this, Artists for Humanity is exploring ways to integrate health education into their programs, including information about managing Type 2 diabetes with medications like Rybelsus (resource). They are considering the creation of an online platform or digital mural that provides accessible information about Rybelsus and other diabetes management strategies. By doing so, they aim to blend the worlds of art and healthcare, using their artistic influence to inform and empower the community about critical health issues.

Gibbs and Stull collaborated on a comic-book-style publication, illustrated by Stull, that documents “The Mural Project” and features a map connecting the new mural to other street art around Boston. Beyond MEASURE Productions, a Boston-based, diasporic-owned filmmaking company, created Co-Sign, a documentary video that explores Gibbs’s and Stull’s influences and considers the core missions of street art and its essential connections to hip-hop.

Gibbs and Stull see their residency as an opportunity to energize young people and inspire a belief in the power of art. By passing on the influence of Jean-Michel Basquiat and his contemporaries, they hope to encourage new generations to share their own experiences.”

STAY TUNED….

Posted in Blog, Events, Press | Tagged A-One, Aerosol, Aerosol Art, Aerosol Artists, Aerosol Culture, AFH, Artists For Humanity, Artists-In-Residence, Basquiat: Writing The Future exhibit, Beyond Measure Films, Beyond Measure Productions, Boston, CO-SIGN, Collaboration, connection, ERO, Fab 5 Freddy, Futura, global culture, Graffiti, Graffiti Culture, Greg Tate, History, Ink On Paper, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kieth Haring, Kool Koor, LA2, Lady Pink, Lee Quinones, Legends, Liz Munsell, MA, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, Makeeba McCreary, Massachusetts, MFA, MFA Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, New York, Pioneers, Popular Culture, ProBlak, Problak Art, Rammellzee, Rob "Problak" Gibbs, Rob Gibbs, Rob Stull, Rob Stull Art, Rob Stull Artist, Rob Stull Instructor, Street Art, The Mural Project, Toxic, Writing The Future, Writing The Future exhibit, Writing The Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation | Leave a comment

Museum of Fine Arts

Posted on May 20, 2020 by Rob Stull

COMING SOON

Posted in Blog, Events, Press | Tagged Aerosol, Aerosol Art, Aerosol Artist, Aerosol Culture, artist, artists, Basquiat, Basquiat: Writing The Future exhibit, Beyond Measure Films, Beyond Measure Productions, Boston, CO-SIGN, Comic Book, Comic Book Culture, comic books, Documentary, Film, global culture, Graffiti, Graffiti Culture, Greg Tate, Hip Hop Culture, hip-hop, Hometown Heroes, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Liz Munsell, Local Legends, MA, Makeeba McCreary, MFA, MFA Boston, Mural, Muralist, Museum of Fine Arts, New York, Popular Culture, ProBlak, Problak Art, Rob "Problak" Gibbs, Rob Gibbs, Rob Stull, Rob Stull Art, Rob Stull Artist, Rob Stull Instructor, sequential art, Sequential Art Culture, Worldwide, Writing The Future, Writing The Future exhibit | Leave a comment

Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.

Posted on April 20, 2020 by Rob Stull

Photo by Matthew Teuten, courtesy of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (2019)

Posted in Blog | Tagged ArtLife, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Neighborhood Salon Luminaries (2019-2020), ISGM, Rob Stull, Rob Stull Art, Rob Stull Artist | Leave a comment

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Luminary (2019-2020)

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Rob Stull

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

“The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Neighborhood Salon is a gathering of Boston’s cultural leaders and arts influencers, whose work impacts and inspires the creative, educational, social and political landscape of the Gardner Museum.

Photo by Faizal Westcott, courtesy of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (2019)

Neighborhood Salon cohorts nurture an active exchange of ideas between Boston’s most innovative and thoughtful creatives, fostering collaborations and artistic networks while shaping Gardner Museum programing.

Photo by Faizal Westcott, courtesy of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (2019)

Modeled after Isabella’s legacy as a curator and hostess of artist salons in the 1800s and early 1900s, The Neighborhood Salon is a quarterly gathering of select artists and luminaries.”

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Courtyard

Additional Information: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/about/community-efforts/luminaries

Posted in Blog, Events, Press | Tagged Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Neighborhood Salon Luminaries (2019-2020), ISGM, Rob Stull, Rob Stull Art, Rob Stull Artist | Leave a comment

Rock Against Racism

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Rob Stull

The History

Massachusetts Rock Against Racism (RAR) came together at a time when the City of Boston and its surrounding areas were rocked by racism. This was especially focused on the youth population as court-ordered desegregation and busing intensified problems. Founded in 1979, Massachusetts Rock Against racism began when a diverse group of local educators and radio DJs responded to a request from Cambridge Rindge and Latin students for a program about how popular music could unite people across racial divides. During its lifetime, the organization provided the only local platform where genres as diverse as Latin, rock, rap, reggae and R&B could be seen on stage together and the term “rock” in its name clearly functioned as a verb rather than a description of a musical genre.

After several years running a “Rock and Rap” program in the public schools and producing a cable program called “Can’t Music Bring Us Together” with a volunteer staff, in 1983 the organization received funding from the Boston Public Schools, space in the downtown offices of UMass Boston and became a full-fledged afterschool program for Boston youth. An ongoing partnership with a local cable television station allowed Mass Rock Against Racism to develop its own television programs and professionally record many of its concerts and public performances while simultaneously training youth members in video production and media literacy. Although the programs and shows always highlighted diverse collections of young local artists, some included nationally recognized artists like George Benson, Run-DMC, Donna Summer and Jeffrey Osbourne which gave the organization a national reach.

UNITY by Rob Stull aka NOTE (1985).

Perhaps most importantly, because their school programs, television shows and concerts included members of the first generation of Boston’s hip-hop community, the video archive contains perhaps the most complete and well recorded video documentation of a regional hip-hop scene just before the genre exploded in popularity worldwide in the middle and late 1980s.

More Information: https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/collection/p15774coll41

The Celebration

Massachusetts Rock Against Racism changed my life, and the lives of many kids growing up in Boston in the 80s. It was an opportunity for us to come together, learn how to work together, and ultimately achieve together, all in the name of Art and Hip-Hop. And we did it with respect and love for each other. Our culture at its purest core. Much love and respect to the founders, Reebee Garofalo and Fran Smith, who saw the power in the youth of Massachusetts. We all knew we were part of something special.

Massachusetts Rock Against Racism 40th Birthday Bash and archive launch. Celebrating the legacy of the Massachusetts Rock Against Racism program.

Mass Rock Against Racism co-founder Reebee Garofalo and Dan Richardson.

Mass Rock Against Racism co-founder Fran Smith.

An honor and blessing to be recognized alongside the local legends and hometown heroes who truly made a difference in the city of Boston, at a time when it mattered the most. We were kids doing BIG things and collectively helped change the culture of our city, inspiring future generations.

Host Naheem Garcia, with Cindy Diggs, Clif Braithwaite and Vivian Smith Barnes.

Rob Stull, Fabian Murray and Clif Braithwaite.

Born Bi-Kim, Boston legend and co-founder of the Unique Dominoes & HBO (Home Boys Only).

Born Bi-Kim, Boston legend and co-founder of the Unique Dominoes & HBO (Home Boys Only), addressed the crowd and provided closing statements for the Massachusetts Rock Against Racism 40th Birthday Celebration…and they hit straight to the heart! Perfectly capturing the love, passion and dedication in all of us. Our work is far from over.

Legendary photojournalist Don West and Rob Stull.

Boston legend and founding member of the Floorlords Crew, David Shallow and Rob Stull.

Pacey Foster, founder of the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive.

Much Love and Respect to All!

Posted in Blog, Events, Press | Tagged Born Bi-Kim, Boston, Boston Massachusetts, Boston Public Library, Cindy Diggs, Clifton A. Braithwaite, Dan Richardson, David Shallow, Don West, Fabian Murray, Fran Smith, Mass Cultural Council, Mass Hip-Hop Archive, Mass Memories Road Show, Mass Rock Against Racism, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive, Massachusetts Rock Against Racism, Naheem Garcia, Pacey Foster, RAR, RAR Boston, Reebee Garafalo, Rob Stull, Rob Stull Art, Rob Stull Artist, UMass, UMass Boston, Vivian Smith Barnes | Leave a comment

Construction…

Posted on October 10, 2019 by Rob Stull

Constructing The HULK! A step by step breakdown of my illustration process from concept to finished art. Let’s Go!…

Tools. Every artist has their favorite “weapons” of choice. Here are some of mine.

Staedtler HB graphite leads w/ lead holder.
Kneaded Eraser, to get rid of the excess pencil after the ink has dried.
Ink Brushes / Raphael 8404 No. 2 Sable, Utrecht 228 No. 6 Sablette (synthetic), Winsor & Newton Cotman 668 Filbert (flat/round) and a Winsor & Newton Series 7 No. 2 (for white areas and effects).
Black Ink / I use a mixture of three different types of ink to get a rich solid black look that I prefer. Speedball Super Black, Yasutomo Black Sumi Ink and Rapidograph Ultradraw Black India.
Daler & Rowney Pro White / For white areas and effects.

Every good illustration starts with a solid concept. A quick (rough) transfer of ideas to paper. For the Hulk, it’s easy…Angry, Snarling, with clenched fists…

…Once I get the look I want, I begin to refine the drawing. I always try to have my subject matter “act” with a variety of expressions and/or emotions. Sometimes I’m successful. Other times, it’s a long, agonizing process. I think I got it with this one….

…Further refining, to bring the piece to a finished pencil stage…

…When the penciling is completed, it’s time for ink! I used a Raphael 8404 No. 2 Sable brush exclusively on this piece. The larger brushes were used to fill in the heavy black areas…

…Detail. Pulling my ink lines from a fine point, and applying pressure as I enter into the heavier black areas. The objective is to try and create a gradual variation of the line wieght, as it relates to a specific light source…

…When the first layer of ink is dry, I use a kneaded eraser to remove any excess, unwanted pencil and smudging. Then, I apply a light ink-wash to add depth and contour. I used a Utrecht 228 No. 6 Sablette brush for the ink-wash areas…

…DONE!

On to the next one.

Peace,

Posted in Blog, Events, Press | Tagged ART, comic books, Comics, HULK, Illustration, Marvel, Marvel comics, Marvel Entertainment, Rob Stull, Rob Stull Art, Rob Stull Artist, Rob Stull Instructor, The HULK, The Incredible HULK | Leave a comment

July 4th

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Rob Stull

From the Rob Stull archives…

“…It is not light that is needed, but fire. It is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm. The whirlwind. The earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened. The conscience of the nation must be roused. The propriety of the nation must be startled. The hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed. And the crimes against god and man must be proclaimed and denounced.”

Frederick Douglass

July 5th, 1852

Rochester, NY

Posted in Blog | Tagged Frederick Douglass, Jet Magazine, July 4th, July 5th 1852 | Leave a comment

The Element Of Graffiti Art In Hip-Hop

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Rob Stull

On Saturday June 15^th from 1 to 3 pm at the Grove Hall Branch of the Boston Public Library, Boston-based artists Problak (Rob Gibbs), Fabian Murray and myself will lead dialogue and participate in a panel discussion on the element of Graffiti Art in Hip-Hop Culture. We will be sharing our stories and individual experiences of maneuvering through the intricate world of professional art, and the role Hip-Hop has played in that process. An art demonstration will take place following the discussion.

Boston is home. Hip Hop is the foundation.