Art Bio for Children

1. Title Page

3. Faith Ringgold
“I became an artist for the
same reason I became a
writer: I wanted to tell my
story.”

4. Faith Ringgold
• Born on
October 8,
1930
• She was born
in Harlem.
• She the taught
art in NYC
public schools.

5. Faith Ringgold, began her artistic career
more than 35 years ago as a painter.

6. Some of her first paintings look like masks.

8. Do you
have any
ideas about
the
meaning of
this
painting?
The Black Light Series: Love Black
Life
1969
Oil on canvas

9. Sometimes Faith painted relationships in her
family.

10. The Black Light Series: The American
Spectrum
1969, Oil on

11. Her 1st book was called “Tar
Beach” and was awarded for its
illustrations.

13. Tar Beach
1988, Acrylic
on canvas,
tie-dyed,
pieced fabric
border

14. Here are a few
more of my
favorite books by
Faith.

17. Today, she is best known for her painted
story quilts -- art that combines painting,
quilted fabric and storytelling.

18. • This quilt
was made
in 1985

19. Mother 's Quilt
1983, Acrylic
on canvas,
dyed, painted
and pieced
fabric

20. The Dinner Quilt, 1986, Acrylic on canvas, fabric
border

21. What is happening in this picture story?

22. Church
Picnic
1988
Acrylic on
canvas,
fabric border

23. Do you
think these
girl’s are
really
jumping
rope on
the bridge?

24. This is a quilt of Faith with some
of the people she admires.

25. Who’s
Bad?

26. These are the buildings where Faith grew up.

27. Faith Ringgold, her mother Willa Posey and
Faith's two daughters Michele and Barbara
took their first trip to Europe in 1961, to tour
the famous art museums.
Faith wrote, " somehow I felt that being in
Europe--where Picasso, Matisse, Monet
and other great painters had lived--would
lead me to the answer"
The the question was whether she could be
an artist or not.

28. The Sunflower
Quilting Bee at
Arles
1991
Acrylic on
canvas, tie-
dyed, pieced
fabric border
Look carefully at the quilt.
Can you find Vincent Van Gogh?

29. Faith Ringgold's art sends a messages about
things that are important to African-American
women.
Her images are enjoyable to many people
because of her use of bright-colored images
in quilts and dolls.

30. Le Cafe des Artistes
1994, Acrylic on canvas, tie-dyed, pieced fabric
border

31. Wanted:
Douglas,
Tubman and
Truth
1997
Acrylic on
canvas;
painted and
pieced
border

32. Sonny's
Quilt
1986
Acrylic on
canvas with
pieced
fabric
border

33. Dancing at
the Louvre
1991, Acrylic
on canvas,
tie-dyed,
pieced fabric
border

34. Bessie's
Blues
1997
Acrylic on
canvas;
painted and
pieced
border

35. Coming to Jones Road #1
1999, Acrylic on canvas with pieced border

36. Ringgold started her first mature
work in 1963, the American People
Series.
Ringgold said, "the idea was to make
a statement in my art about the Civil
Rights Movement and what was
happening to Black people in
America at the time.”

38. The
American
People
Series #2:
For Members
Only
1963

39. • The American
People Series #6:
Mr. Charlie,
1964.

40. • The American
People Series
#7: Cocktail
Party
1964
Oil on canvas
42 x 24"

41. Which party looks more fun to you?

42. The
American
People
Series #8:
The In
Crowd
1964, Oil
on canvas

44. Click Here to Listen to a Song Faith
Wrote About Cassie From Tar Beach.