1. Kadir Nelson: An Artist and an Inspiration A Creator Report by Dorothy M. Smail Grade Levels: Intermediate (3-5) Content Areas: Reading, Writing, and Art

2. Kadir Nelson: An Artist and an Inspiration hope beauty courage integrity healing nobility A picture is worth a thousand words. strength

3. Early Life  He began drawing at age 3, painting at age 10, and painting with oils by age 16.  His uncle, an art teacher, inspired him to become an artist and provided him with supplies and training.  He graduated from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York with high honors.

4. Artistic Style  Kadir usually uses oils when he paints.  His works focus mainly on African American culture and history.  His works are easily recognized because of the strength and emotion portrayed in his characters.  His subjects seem to “come to life”.  He likes to draw about “everyday people doing everyday things in extraordinary ways” (Nelson, 2009).

5. What Inspires Him? “My work is about healing and giving people a sense of hope and nobility. I want to show the strength and integrity of the human spirit” (Kadir Nelson)

6. Artistic Highlights  Mr. Nelson has created works for Sports Illustrated, Coca-Cola, the United States Postal Service, and Major League Baseball.  Early in his career he created works for movie studios. He was the lead artist for Stephen Speilberg’s Amistad and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron.

7. Children’s Books  In 1999, Kadir began working with notable authors to illustrate children’s books.  So far, he has illustrated 21 books.  He is the winner of many book awards including the:  Caldecott Honor Award in both 2007 and 2008 for Henry’s Freedom Box and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom  NAACP Image Award for Just the Two of Us  Coretta Scott King Award for Thunder Rose, Ellington was not a Street, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, and We are the Ship: The Story of the Negro Baseball League

8. Influential Leaders

9. Athletes

10. Musicians and Dancers

11. Extraordinary, Everyday People

12. How Does He Do It?  When Kadir illustrates, he does not follow a strict set of rules.  He believes it is important to be relaxed so that the ideas will flow freely.  “You got to let it do its thing” (Kadir Nelson)  He starts with an idea inspired by such things as music, news, and his surroundings.  Then he researches the idea and begins sketching.

13. The Making of A Change Has Come Click on the video below to learn more about the author’s book A Change Has Come and how he creates his illustrations.

14. The Making of We Are the Ship:The Story of Negro League Baseball Click on the video below to listen to Kadir Nelson talk about Negro League Baseball and the making of his book.

15. A Letter from Kadir Nelson

16. More Information

17. Image Resources

18. Image Resources cont.

19. References and Websites