Ian Gaadt is an artist, filmmaker, animator, and illustrator who graduated with honors from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2024. He majored in Illustration and Film and was honored with the Joseph Lefevre Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration. Ian is deeply passionate about filmmaking and is dedicated to exploring the intersections of storytelling, illustration/storyboarding, and music.

For part of his RISD thesis, Ian wrote, storyboarded, directed, animated, and edited the short film "GLARE," which is currently being submitted to film festivals. He also collaborated on a live-action short film "Un Viaje Mal"—directing, shooting, and editing it with actors from Brown University. In addition to his filmmaking pursuits, Ian is an accomplished musician who performed violin with Brown University chamber groups during his time at RISD. His love of music significantly influences his work, leading him to create and perform musical compositions for his films, as well as storyboarding and animating music videos for Lil Yachty, Duckwrth, Zach Bia, and Midwxst.

Ian’s enthusiasm for popular culture is reflected in his free-time work, where he illustrates current events, musicians, and other notable figures. He shares much of his art on Instagram, engaging with fellow artists and garnering recognition from celebrities such as Don Toliver, Metro Boomin, Tony Starr, and Colman Domingo.