Born in 1998, Anthony Bartley is a Chicago-based visual artist and the founder of HAPPY Days Apparel. Initially dreaming of a career in science, Anthony turned to art as therapy following a mental health crisis during his first year of college. From that moment on, art became both a healing practice and a powerful tool for communication — a way to express emotions words alone couldn’t capture.

Through portraiture, collage, and colorful illustrations, Anthony’s work explores the Black community’s relationship with popular media, including manga, anime, and comic books. His vibrant yet introspective pieces often feature characters navigating complex, sometimes melancholic, experiences.

Anthony’s creative umbrella, FadingRoyalty, embodies his belief that even the grandest legacies — like royalty itself — eventually fade with time. Through his art, he’s on a mission to champion mental health awareness and remind others that no one should have to navigate difficult emotions alone.

His passion for creativity extends to HAPPY Days Apparel, a fashion line born from his participation in the 2023 Ann Lowe Summer Fellowship at the Fashion For All Foundation. Learning to sew for the first time, Anthony discovered a new dimension of artistic expression that merges fashion and art seamlessly.

Welcome to FadingRoyalty — a space where art becomes therapy, and therapy becomes art.