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Ernest Shaw

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Ernest Shaw

Painter | Muralist

MEET THE ARTIST

Ernest Shaw paints narrative portraits of notable Black figures on canvas and community walls to celebrate and depict Black culture’s impact in America. He believes that he must tell stories of Black Americans to challenge stereotypes about Black people, particularly Black men, that have persisted and evolved in America since its inception. BORN: 1969 in Baltimore, Maryland LIVES: Baltimore, Maryland  ARTIST WEBSITE: https://www.eshawart.com/  “I feel it is my duty and responsibility to try to create images that tell a complete and full more authentic story.” https://youtu.be/z8_Z5NoH_NEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d5jstXK19Y&feature=youtu.behttps://youtu.be/289aHxs4QLo

SKILLS

Painting, Drawing, and Color Theory

MEDIA

Acrylic paint, charcoal, and graphite

MAKE

Create a drawing that tells a story about your community in order to better understand what makes it unique. Research and draw, or paint, a portrait of an underrepresented person from American history who inspires you to be a better person. Identify values and beliefs this figure has that you share as well. Create an abstract painting/drawing using organic shapes with bright and dark colors to express how you feel about living in American today. In your artist statement, describe how the colors you selected illustrate your feelings.

CONNECT

GRADES K-2 ELA Reading Standards: With support ask and answer questions about key details in a text [about notable Black people in America]. Maryland State Fine Arts Standards (MSFAS): I:P-2:1: Think creatively about self, others, places, and events. GRADES 3-5 ELA Reading Standards: Determine and explain the main idea of a text [about notable Black people in America] and explain how it is supported by key details. When needed, summarize the text for further comprehension. MSFAS: I:3-5:1: Act on creative ideas to develop personally meaningful compositions through observation, imagination, or memory. GRADES 6-8 ELA Reading Standards: Cite the textual evidence to clearly support an analysis of what the text [about notable Black people in America] says as well as inferences drawn from the text. MSFAS:I:6-8:1: Access, evaluate, use and manage information throughout the context of art history and design. HIGH SCHOOL ELA Reading Standards: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text [about notable Black people in America]. MSFAS:I:9-12:1: Act on creative ideas within the context of a given or chosen art problem. MOMA Learning / Investigating Identity: The human body is central to how we understand facets of identity such as gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity. https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/investigating-identity/the-body-in-art/

TALK

Talk to Your Kids About Race:   How to Talk to Your Kids About Race Vocabulary for Social Justice:   Vocab from Racial Equity Tools Vocab from Whites For Racial Equity Books for Different Age Groups: Recommendations from the New York Times Recommendations Get free hip hop civics.com Black Lives Matter Race Curriculum Other Education-Specific Resources for Teachers: Books about Race for Educators:
  • Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
  • How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
  • White Fragility (with an educator guide) by Robin DiAngelo
  • “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria” And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum
  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
  • An African American and Latinx History of the United States by Paul Ortiz
  • Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom by Lisa Delpit
GRADES K-2  Pre and Post Questions about Ernest Shaw’s Videos Preview: How do you draw to tell a story? How can stories make us feel?  Post:  What does Ernest Shaw paint and draw in his artwork? How can you use drawing and painting to celebrate someone? Resources about Social Justice (Books with illustrations):
  • A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory
  • A is for Activist Board book by Innosanto Nagara
  • Antiracist Baby Board Book Board book by Ibram X. Kendi
  • Last Stop on Market Street Book by Matt de la Peña
GRADES 3-5  Pre and Post Questions about Ernest Shaw’s Videos Preview: How do artists tell stories? Why is storytelling important? Post: Why does Ernest Shaw paint and draw notable black figures? Resources about Social Justice GRADES  6-8 Pre and Post Questions about Ernest Shaw’s Videos Preview: How do artists create visual art to tell stories about their past and current experiences? Why is storytelling important? Post: What is race and why does Ernest Shaw think it is important to talk about race? Why does Ernest Shaw think it is his duty to paint and draw notable Black Figures? What are stereotypes? Resources about Social Justice HIGH SCHOOL Pre and Post Questions about Ernest Shaw’s Videos Preview: In what ways do artists create visual art to tell personal narratives? How can stories support or harm people?  Post: What is it important for Ernest Shaw as a Black man to tell his story? What are stereotypes? Is Black history American history? Resources about Social Justice View Ernest Shaw’s Printable PDF ]]>