by Faye Barber
Carolina Peacemaker
Originally posted 11/3/2006
A familiar presence in many African American homes, the paintings of Kadir Nelson has been featured on television shows “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “The Jamie Foxx Show.” He is well known as the conceptual artist for Steven Spielberg’s feature film “Amistad” and the Oscar nominated animated feature “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.”
Enthusiastic supporters gave a warm welcome to the award-winning artist and illustrator on Sunday at the African American Atelier in the Greensboro Cultural Center. A reception held from 2-4 p.m. celebrated the opening of “Healing the Spirit: The Art of Kadir Nelson” exhibit that will be featured in the Atelier from October 29 – December 22.
In his bio, Nelson said, “My work is all about healing and giving people a sense of hope and nobility. I want to show the strength and integrity of the human being and the human spirit.”
Nelson captivates the human experience and particularly the African American experience, with powerful and compelling images displayed in each painting. Soulful jazz music performed by “Bertha Young and Sweet Dreams” filled the air as viewers walked the gallery at the Atelier, pulled into another dimension and captivated by each piece that expressed the heart of the artist.
Nelson attended the prestigious Pratt University in Brooklyn, New York on an art scholarship and graduated with honors. He has utilized his talents in a wide range of organizations including Dreamworks, Coca-Cola, Sports Illustrated and The New York Times. He currently lives in San Diego with his wife and two children.
North Carolina House Representative, Alma Adams, co-founder and curator of the Atelier introduced Nelson at the reception.
“He has really made his mark, as an artist, internationally recognized, his work celebrates African American culture. He has a deep desire and commitment to children and family,” said Adams who also stated, “He has touched our human spirit. He started drawing at age three. This is clearly a God given talent. He started illustrating professionally while he was in college.”
The soft-spoken and strikingly handsome artist spoke to the audience of approximately 100 and said he was blessed to have good mentors through his formative years and was thankful for having concerned parents who encourage him to strive for excellence. He said his older sister was very smart in school and served as a good example.
“All of these fine examples that I’ve had has been a tremendous source of inspiration for me that’s important in my life so that I feel really good about what I do,” stated Nelson. “I always strove for excellence.”
Nelson shared a story of how he was inspired by the author, Ntozake Shange, of the award-winning book “ellington was not a street.”
“She made something beautiful out of something negative. We all have that chance,” said Nelson as he explained this is the attitude applied to all of his work and everything he does.
At the closing of the reception, Nelson greeted guests and signed books and spoke about his current project, a book to pay tribute to the Negro Baseball Leagues. He said it is the first book he will both author and illustrate and was originally inspired to pursue this project by a painting he did in school and although he was asked to do a book at that time it did not work out until now.
When asked what is his greatest artistic achievement, Nelson replied, “Being a full-time artist is an achievement I’m really proud of.” He said that it’s been a blessing to be able to make a living doing what he likes to do and many people in the beginning of his career thought if he pursued art that he would become a “starving artist.”
“I realized even if I had to starve, I would be an artist because that’s who I am,” said Nelson.
Although he has worked on countless projects and has created hundreds of paintings, Nelson doesn’t claim a favorite work.
“I wouldn’t say I have a favorite. I always say that the one I’m working on now or the next one.” said Nelson.
This well-known and respected artist does not accept any project offered to him but carefully chooses his next creative venture. He commented that “It must be something I believe, really enjoy, really like, really love.”
Nelson’s mother, Emily Gunter, founder of Rites of Passage Youth Empowerment Foundation, based in Durham, said although Nelson became an artist at three, she really took notice of his talent a couple of years later.
“I have been celebrating his work since he’s been five years old,” said Gunter.
Following the reception, the Greensboro Public Library hosted a book signing from 4-6 p.m. in the children’s room where illustrator, Nelson, and author Carole Weatherford discussed the collaboration on their recent book “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, based on Harriet Tubman, known as the “Moses of her people,” a leader in the Underground Railroad to free slaves.
“Harriet Tubman really had strong faith and she believed that God spoke to her and that she could talk back to him. That really is an essential part of the narrative,” said Weatherford to the packed room filled with mostly children and their parents.
A native of Baltimore, Md., Weatherford said she took particular interest in doing a story on Tubman who is from Dorchester County, Maryland, the same area her grandfather grew up in. She wanted to do a book on Tubman from a faith perspective.
Nelson said Tubman reminded him of his grandmother, and since he could not find younger pictures of Tubman he used his grandmother as an inspiration for the illustrations in the book and told the children he had to do extensive research prior to developing the artwork.
Nelson also revealed that he recently learned that his birthplace was Silver Springs, Maryland, not Washington, D.C.
He built an instant rapport with the audience and seemed especially comfortable relating to the children, captivated them with explanations of the book from the illustrator’s perspective.
“Moses” is one of several children’s book in print by the talented illustrator including Debbie Allen’s “Dancing in the wings” and Deloris and Roslyn Jordan’s best-seller “Salt in his Shoes,” and “Please, baby please,” by Spike and Tonya Lee.
Nelson received a NAACP image award in 2002 for the children’s book “Just the Two of Us,” written by actor Will Smith and also earned the American Library Association’s 2005 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for “ellington was not a street.”
His paintings have been on exhibit in many of the worlds most prestigious arts institutions including The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, The Museum of African American History in Detroit, The Bristol Museum in England, The Citizen’s Gallery of Yokohama Japan and The Center of Culture of Tijuana, Mexico.
For more information on Kadir Nelson visit www.kadirnelson.com and to learn of upcoming exhibits at the Atelier visit www.info@africanamericanatelier.org.