Art Is Everywhere: A Conversation with Trap Bob

As the National Building Museum prepares for The Big Draw and expands Building Stories into libraries across Washington, D.C., we sat down with artist, illustrator, and muralist Trap Bob to talk about creativity, cities, coloring books, and why she believes art can change the world.

National Building Museum (NBM): How did your journey as an artist begin?

Trap Bob (TB): Honestly, it started when I was really young. I remember a first-grade art class where we had to paint ourselves as royalty. I painted myself as a princess, but I gave myself blonde hair and blue eyes, even though I’m black.

Later, my dad asked me why I did that. I realized those were the only princesses I’d seen. That was the first time I understood that art communicates what we absorb from the world around us. When I look back at that painting now, I think that was my first moment of truly expressing myself and reflecting what I saw in the world.

In college, I studied business and marketing. I didn’t feel particularly passionate about anything; I just kept moving forward because that’s what you’re supposed to do. But marketing opened my eyes to how much art exists in everything, from advertising and branding, to the psychology of how we respond to images. Then I took an art elective near graduation, and it was like something clicked. I thought, this is what I’ve been missing my whole life.

NBM: The Museum tells stories about architecture and the built environment. How do you see your work shaping how we experience cities?

TB: I love this question because I think it’s all connected. When I started doing murals, I was physically present in all these different parts of D.C. I’d be outside all day painting, seeing the same commuters pass by, watching people react in real time.

When you design a mural, you have to think about movement. Someone driving by might see it for three seconds. Someone stuck in traffic might look at it for ten minutes. Someone walking past might stop and talk about it. That’s urban design, too. It’s about experience. It’s about how long someone interacts with a space.

And every building, every city plan started as drawings, as maps that were designed! Art is foundational to the built world.

NBM: You’re based in D.C. What is it about Washington that shapes your work?

TB: D.C. feels like a collection of little worlds stitched together. You can walk a few blocks and feel like you’ve entered a completely different neighborhood. There’s this intimacy to it. The buildings aren’t too tall, so the city can breathe. When I come back from New York, I’m like, “Oh my God, I can see the sky again.” Your eyes can rest here.

I love the row houses, the way they create these continuous walls along the street. You turn the corner, and suddenly you’re in a new atmosphere. And then you have downtown, which feels very formal and monumental. That contrast is really inspiring.

I also love how public and private life blend together. You might be inside studying, but you hear music from down the block or an ambulance in the distance. You’re always aware of other stories unfolding around you. That layered feeling shows up in my work a lot.

NBM: You designed the illustrations for the Museum’s Building Stories kiosks in DC Public Libraries across the city. What was that process like?

TB: It was one of my favorite projects! The idea was to depict a D.C. city block with homes, restaurants, shops, and everyday life. I thought about it like both a cityscape and a timeline. Different ages, different stories, different moments of the day all happening at once. I wanted the illustrations to feel layered, alive, and interconnected, just like the city.

NBM: You’re participating in The Big Draw this year! What excites you most about the event?

TB: The energy! I love that families come out, that kids are excited, that drawing becomes this shared experience. It sticks with people. You don’t forget moments like that.

I’m debuting my new coloring book, Super Drawn, which is a retrospective of my illustration work. It feels like a farewell to a chapter of my style and a celebration of it at the same time.

From my drawing workshop, I hope people take away the ability to let their guard down. Art can be intimidating. There’s pressure to make something “good.” But expression and skill are different. Anyone can express themselves. Skill comes from practice. Coloring is great because it removes some of that fear. You can just relax, wander, and explore.

NBM: You talk a lot about encouraging kids. What do you say to someone who says, “I’m not an artist”?

TB: I think we get too caught up in labels. You don’t start by calling yourself an artist. You start by making art. If you do something enough, it becomes part of who you are.

When I work with kids, I tell them to start with the worst idea. Start with something silly or “bad.” Once you let go of perfection, amazing things happen. It’s like building muscle: you have to lift something heavy enough to grow. Lean toward the challenge.

NBM: Building Stories celebrates children’s books. What were some of your favorite books as a kid, and what are you reading now?

TB: I’ve always loved The Illustrated Man. It’s about a man whose tattoos each tell a different story. I’m drawn to layered storytelling like that. I also loved the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I was so into the idea of secret worlds and worn-out shoes from dancing all night. That’s how my dreams feel.

More recently, I’ve been reading philosophy and psychology, especially Carl Jung. I’m fascinated by dreams and understanding how the mind works. The more I understand myself, the more I understand my work.

NBM: Last question: If you had to sum up your philosophy in one sentence?

TB: I really believe art will save the world.