Faith Ringgold, News, Appearances, Exhibitions, © Permission & Projects

Welcome to Faith Ringgold's Blog

2011-08-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Visit Faith Ringgold's web site at www.faithringgold.com

Press Release: Faith Ringgold Withdraws Name, Artwork and Support from Planned Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling in Harlem.

New Works

Mahalia We Love You

Born in the USA

Romie We Love You

A portion of the sales from this
print will benefit Haiti

Faith Ringgold's Commission

Los Angeles, CA Civic Center

People Portraits: in Creativity (Line E), Performing (Line F),

Sports (Line M), Sports (Line M) and Fashion (Line N)

Faith received a commission to design 52 mosaics for the Civic Center Subway Station in Los Angeles, California. Mosaika, a fabulous company in Montreal has fabricated the designs. Here are photos of Faith's visit to check on the progress of the mosaic panels. Click here to see more photos when Faith visited to Mosaica. The link below will take you to more Mosaica installation photos

Panel installation Los Angeles , CA June 2010

Click here to see photos of the completed mosaics.

Civic Center Station

Video of the station

Faith speaks about the Feminist Movement WBAI Oct 19, 2011

Students of Faith Ringgold

2011-08-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

List of Students of Faith Ringgold

Faith Ringgold Withdraws Name, Artwork and Support from Planned Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling in Harlem.

2011-02-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

December 8, 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Faith Ringgold ● (201) 816-1374 ● ringgoldfaith@aol.com

Barbara Hoffman, Esq. ● (212) 873-6200 ● artlaw@hoffmanlaw.org

Faith Ringgold Withdraws Name, Artwork and Support from Planned Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling in Harlem.

Faith Ringgold has withdrawn her support, her artwork and her name from the Sugar Hill Project, Broadway Housing Communities’ mixed-use project in Harlem which includes plans to build a 15,000 square foot cultural center. Concerns regarding Broadway Housing Communities’ Executive Director Ellen Baxter’s commitment to a “true art museum,” curatorial oversight, governance, security, climate control and financial commitment of Broadway Housing Communities to support a chartered museum as an integral part of its principal mission to support the homeless, triggered the decision.

Ms. Ringgold was originally approached by Ms. Baxter about the building of a museum to celebrate Faith Ringgold’s legacy. Ms. Ringgold, a pre-eminent African-American artist, author and educator, grew up in the Sugar Hill neighborhood and still retains an apartment there. Her noted story quilts and children’s books celebrate Harlem. The Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling, in the words of Ms. Baxter when she solicited Ms. Ringgold to become a part of the project, would be a permanent place to implement the legacy of Ms. Ringgold as an artist and educator of children. Ms. Ringgold was approached by Ms. Baxter to lend her name, vision and considerable notoriety and connections in Harlem, to create a true art museum for children, based on her amazing work with children. “And so the museum will be a place where Faith’s work is exhibited where children can come and understand the history of Sugar Hill in Harlem,” said Ms. Baxter. “So they can understand the history of its music, of its December 8, 2011 people, and of its architecture.” “Her legacy should be understood by every child who lives there and grows up there,” said Ms. Baxter in March, 2007.

Based on the early enthusiasm and purported support for Faith Ringgold’s vision and mission embodied in early planning meetings for the Museum, Faith Ringgold lent her name, reputation and introduced the BHC to her considerable network in the art world and African-American community. Her advisors and admirers have donated untold uncompensated hours to the planning of the Museum especially in the early years of the Sugar Hill Project. Marie Brown, Faith Ringgold’s literary agent, the Bergens of the ACA Galleries, Sharon Shaeffer and Patricia Maunder continued to lend sustained support to activities, and were instrumental in fundraising.

BHC used Ms. Ringgold’s name, brand recognition and reputation to attract the substantial donors, grants from organizations like the Oak Foundation, and city approvals. Her friends such as the late Max Bond and George Campbell Jr., former President of Cooper Union, were involved in the Architectural Selection Committee and Dorian Bergen of ACA Galleries, submitted Mr. Adjaye’s name to that committee for the Sugar Hill Project. Ironically, while Mr. Ajaye has designed the housing component of the Sugar Hill Project, he has not been involved in the area of his expertise, museum design.

As Ms. Baxter stated in a letter to Ms. Ringgold on October 7, 2011 “Your legacy, passionate love of art, children and storytelling definitely inspired me to undertake the long and unfamiliar journey to incorporate a cultural institution into the Sugar Hill development . . . You have encouraged and contributed time to the children and staff of Broadway Housing Communities.” December 8, 2011

Notwithstanding Ms. Baxter’s continued appearance at Ringgold events and the celebration of an eightieth birthday for Ms. Ringgold by Broadway Housing Communities, Ms. Ringgold was excluded from participation in planning for the museum and began to have grave concerns about Broadway Housing Communities’ commitment to and ability to undertake the long and unfamiliar journey to incorporate an art museum for children.

Negative sentiments and doubts about the commitment of Broadway Housing Communities to realize a ‘true’ museum of art and storytelling for children were confirmed by events and meetings.

These concerns were exacerbated by the following events: (1) No amendment to the Broadway Housing Communities’ charter to permit it to operate a museum has, to her knowledge, been sought; (2) no approval from the Board of Regents for a provisional charter to operate an art museum has been sought; (3) no independent Board of Directors has been formed; and (4) no long range financial plan from Broadway Housing Communities including subsidies for rental of the originally planned 18,000 square foot space, no storage facility or security plan to protect valuable works of art, and no design or program for the museum by architect David Adjaye. In fact, every indication is that this is not to be an “art museum for children” but at best a run-of-the-mill, ordinary children’s museum or a local community art play center as embodied in the Dorothy Day project in the Rio Gallery, a far cry from the unique vision of an accredited art museum for children.

On April 13, 2011 Ms. Ringgold’s attorney wrote to Broadway Housing Communities’ attorney expressing substantial concern about the lack of progress of the museum, issues of governance, financial stability, conflict of interest, professionalism, security and storage. She December 8, 2011 also indicated she would not loan her artworks nor her time or efforts to create original artwork unless her concerns were addressed.

Neither Ms. Baxter nor her lawyer responded to Ms. Ringgold’s questions or concerns yet Ms. Baxter continued to represent Ms. Ringgold as connected and involved with the Sugar Hill Project and Broadway Housing Communities’ commitment to a museum.

Finally, on November 14, 2011, Ms. Ringgold’s attorney wrote to the attorney for Broadway Housing Communities to express and confirm her non-involvement in the Sugar Hill Project. On information and belief, Ms. Baxter has yet to inform donors and contributors by letter that Ms. Ringgold is not involved with the Project, since Ringgold requested copies of such letters and has not received them.

As of this date no response to the letter has been received. However, on Sunday, December 4, 2011, an article in the Art Newspaper quoted Ms. Baxter, who explained that the former Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling was changed to the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling. “It’s a part of the evolution of the museum. It was decided that it was not a good idea to name [the building] after one artist because it was not going to be a museum of her work.” Ms. Baxter however, has been less that transparent about the evolution of the “museum” and any details about its program, collections, charter or financing.

What Ms. Baxter fails to mention is that it is unlikely that Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling will be a chartered museum with a permanent collection by Faith Ringgold or any other Harlem Renaissance artist, and that the unique vision embodied in the Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling has more than likely been replaced by December 8, 2011 a community cultural center with art classes for children not unlike the Rio Galleries at The Rio and Dorothy Day Apartments. This is not to diminish the Rio Galleries or the significant accomplishments of Broadway Housing Communities to serve the low-income and homeless. It is simply that the unique museum of art for children with a permanent collection of notable African-American and other artists of Sugar Hill, as set forth in Ringgold’s original mission statement, and envisioned as a mecca for the community and the world, is unlikely to be located at the Sugar Hill Project.

CAA Award

2011-02-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.collegeart.org/awards/2011awards

Recipients of the 2011 Awards for Distinction

CAA has announced the recipients of the 2011 Awards for Distinction, which honor the outstanding achievements and accomplishments of individual artists, art historians, authors, conservators, curators, and critics whose efforts transcend their individual disciplines and contribute to the profession as a whole and to the world at large.

CAA will formally recognize the honorees at a special ceremony to be held during the 99th Annual Conference in New York, on Thursday evening, February 10, 2011, 6:00–7:30 PM, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Led by Barbara Nesin, president of the CAA Board of Directors, the ceremony will take place in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium (use the 83rd Street entrance) and precede the Centennial Reception in the museum’s Great Hall and Temple of Dendur (7:30–9:00 PM). In connection with CAA’s one-hundredth anniversary, past recipients of each award will introduce the winners of the same award, bringing past and present together. The awards ceremony is free and open to the public; tickets for the reception are $35.

The 2011 Annual Conference—presenting scholarly sessions, panel discussions, career-development workshops, art exhibitions, a Book and Trade Fair, and more—is the largest gathering of artists, art historians, students, and arts professionals in the United States.

Distinguished Feminist Award
Faith Ringgold
Faith Ringgold has been a forceful voice for feminism, successfully and gracefully encapsulating crucial issues of race despite the often-contentious relationship between gender and race in enfranchisement movements over the last four decades. Her work not only captures the strength of black women in fighting slavery, oppression, and sexual exploitation, but it also chronicles the dreams of black women who sought to transcend circumstance and find a brighter future. Ringgold’s American People paintings (1963–67) and Black Light series (begun in 1967) sought to examine how traditional color values could be modified for black subjects. From there she explored traditions of “women’s work” in fabric, first in collaboration with her late mother and then in herStory Quilts, which have become her signature statement. As a committed activist, Ringgold was a founder of Women, Students, and Artists for Black Liberation and a cofounder and member of Where We At, a collaborative of black women artists in the 1970s and 1980s.

http://www.collegeart.org/awards/2011awards

Bio 635 words Feb 2011

2011-02-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

635 words

Faith Ringgold, painter, writer, speaker, mixed media sculptor and performance artist lives and works in Englewood, New Jersey. Ms Ringgold is professor emeritus at the University of California, San Diego where she taught art from 1987 until 2002.

Professor Ringgold is the recipient of more than 75 awards including 22 Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degrees. She has received fellowships and grants that include the National Endowment For the Arts Award for sculpture (1978) and for painting (1989); The La Napoule Foundation Award for painting in France (1990); The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship for painting (1987); The New York Foundation For the Arts Award for painting (1988); The American Association of University Women for travel to Africa (1976); The Creative Artists Public Service Award for painting (1971).

Ringgold’s art has been exhibited in museums and galleries in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, South America, the Middle East, and Africa.

Her art is included in many private and public art collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The National Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Boston Museum of Fine Art, The Chase Manhattan Bank Collection, The Baltimore Museum, Williams College Museum of Art, The High Museum of Fine Art, The Newark Museum, The Phillip Morris Collection, The St. Louis Art Museum and The Spencer Museum. Ms. Ringgold is represented by ACA Gallery in New York City.

Ringgold’s public commissions include; People Portraits, 52 mosaics installed in the Los Angeles, California, Civic center subway station (2010); Flying Home: Harlem Heroes and Heroines, two 25 foot mosaic murals installed in the 125th street Subway station in New York City in 1996; The Crown Heights Children's Story Quilt featuring folklore from the 12 major cultures that settled Crown Heights is installed in the library at PS 90 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Eugenio Maria de Hostos: A Man and His Dream, (1994) A mural celebrating the life of Eugenio Maria de Hostos for De Hostos Community College in the Bronx is installed in the atrium of the college.

Ringgold's first published book, the award winning, Tar Beach, "a book for children of all ages", was published by Random House in 1991 and has won more than 30 awards including, a Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King award for the best illustrated children's book of 1991. The book, Tar Beach, is based on the story quilt Tar Beach, from Ringgold's The Woman On A Bridge Series of 1988 and is in the permanent collection of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. HBO included an animated version of Tar Beach in "Good Night Moon and Other Sleepy Time Lullabies." This program runs periodically on HBO and has been released as a DVD.

Ringgold has completed sixteen children's books including the above mentioned Tar Beach, Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad In The Sky, My Dream of Martin Luther King and Talking to Faith Ringgold, (an autobiographical interactive art book for children of all ages), The Invisible Princess, an original African American Fairy Tale based on the quilt Born in a Cotton Field all published by Random House. If a Bus Could Talk; The Story of Ms. Rosa Parks won the NAACP's Image Award 2000 and is available from Simon and Schuster. O Holy Night and The Three are from Harper Collins. We Flew Over the Bridge: The Memoirs of Faith Ringgold, Ringgold's first adult book was published by Little, Brown in 1995 and has been re-released by Duke University Press.

People Portraits at the Los Angeles Civic Center Subway Station

2011-01-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

METRO Mosaic commission

by Faith Ringgold

People Portraits

Creativity, Line E

Performing

Line F

Playing Sports

Line M

Styling

Line N

Photo of Faith Ringgold

2010-09-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

Faith Ringgold: Visionary Videos: NVLP: African American History

2010-05-20T10:14:00.001-07:00

Faith Ringgold: Visionary Videos: NVLP: African American History

Posted using ShareThis

Faith Ringgold's Art of the 1960's research by Michele Wallace

2010-04-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Click on the links for information in each image.

The Civil Rights Triangle

American People #1: Between Friends, 1963

American People #3: Neighbors

American People #6: Mr. Charlie, 1964

American People #8: The In Crowd, 1964

Se it all on: http://ringgoldinthe1960s.blogspot.com/

(more to come)

Coming to Jones Road, Part One

2010-04-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

This page is still a work in progress more to come soon!!!

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24.

Interview for the Neuberger docents for Faith Ringgold's Art of the 60's exhibition

2010-04-15T16:02:00.001-07:00

1 We learned that all but two paintings in the exhibition are owned by you. Did

you actively try to sell this work and it was not popular at the time, or was it

that you were not trying to actively sell it?

Actually there are 4 paintings that were sold in the first show. Professor James Porter of Howard University bought the first one, Bride of Martha’s Vineyard in 1967 shortly after the show opened. I was delighted. Chase Bank bought The American Spectrum for their collection in 1969. I was over joyed. The other two Hide Little Children and The Cocktail Party were bought years later.

Three paintings, Love Black Life, The Black Art Poster and For The Women’s House were gifts to Benjamin Mays the Schomberg Collection and The Women’s House Facility on Rikers Island respectively.

The American People, Black Light and the Political Posters were not accepted in the art world of the 1960s. Most Galleries, museums and collectors (both Black and White) were not interested in showing political paintings by a Black woman. I couldn’t give them away! Except for the 3 paintings I did give as gifts I have everything I did in the 60’s.

2 Q: By using two powerful symbols of Americana; the flag and the postage stamp, were you intending to reach people's patriotic ideals by pointing out the hypocrisy in the U.S?

By manipulating the flag, did you intend to bring people’s attention to the racial bigotry in the U.S?

I have always thought of art as a way to document a People’s history along with their place, time and identity. I used to wonder where all the beautiful African masks came from. When I went to Africa and traveled in Nigeria and Ghana I found the answer : The People!

The American Flag is a symbol of Freedom and Equality and belongs to all the American people who embrace the spirit of freedom and equality-- not just some Americans who bring it out to reject, deny and oppress other Americans. There was a period when the flag was becoming a symbol of bigotry and hate in America.

The Postage Stamp is used to commemorate great moments in American history such as the Black Power Movement in America. I couldn’t sit around and wait for the Black Power Commemorative Stamp to be issued from Washington, so I did it myself.

3. Are the Obamas aware not only of your art, but of the important, messages your art communicates & the tremendous & valuable role you have played toward exposing racism in the art world... & hopefully mitigating it?

I am not aware that the Obama’s know me or my work. It is difficult for a President to get so close to the people as to know the difference in friends and foe. I would love to do something for the Whitehouse and Obama. I have done two pieces one for President Carter and another for President Clinton. Maybe President Obama is next. I am a true fan. I deeply admire and support him.

4. Postage Stamp Commemorating Black Power

Was there a particular stamp the year that you made Stamp Commemorating Black Power, that inspired you to make your own?

Does the X in the composition of stand for Malcolm X ?

There were many commemorative stamps issued that year.

The X is part of the design of the faces 90 for White Power and 10 for Black Power. Some American people thought Black Power seemed too militant and opposed it. I just wanted to show it in context with White Power which dominates this country without question.

5. Words of Wisdom

If you could do one thing over, what might it be?

You have worked with children for many years. What advice do you give them about making their art? What advice do you give them about life in general?

What advice would you give to a young person of color who wants to pursue a career in art?

If there is a way you can live your life and be happy and productive without being an artist I say: Go For It! I get the feeling that some people think being an artist is easy. It is not! Being an artist is a way of life.

Unless you are a White man it will be exceedingly difficult to be successful. If you are a Black woman it will almost impossible. You will need so many things to be an artist and a lot of people to help and support you. You must have a passion that supersedes all the pitfalls of a racist and sexist society. I don’t need to stress that of all the arts, The visual arts are by far the most difficult.

See my Traits for Success As An artist

6. Then vs. Now

What are some of the issues that young black artists face today that are the same or different than what you encountered?

Are you "happier" or more satisfied today with the acceptance of the art world toward African American Artists in general, & more specifically, toward Women African American Artists? If not, what do you think needs to happen to enable us to meet that goal?

Institutionalized racism and sexism in Museums and Visual Art Departments in Universities and Colleges which limits the showing of African American Art as an independent cultural entity.

African American Art Galleries curators and Departments need to be instituted in Museums showing American, Contemporary and Modern art. These galleries should be supported by funds from Black people.

I am aware that the Visual Arts are not generally supported by Black people. That is a huge problem since it is important for a culture of people to support its own art. I think there might be a lack of awareness as to the role of Black wealth in support of black visual art. I also believe that it is difficult for a minority to support its own art when the production is as diverse and compact as is the art of Black people such as the music.

7. Process

Some artists make many sketches before they begin a work while others start to create their images directly on the canvas. What is your process?

I start with an idea and proceed with making sketches and than I make painted studies before I begin working on the final product.

I like to assemble a lot of ideas in drawings and studies so that when I am painting I don’t run out of compositional ideas to fill the space.

I also make my work in series so that I don’t have to pile all my ideas into one painting. I learned that from Jacob Lawrence. I work on several paintings at the same time.

8. Making Art Today

Are you still painting these days and if so what are you working on?

The United Nations has proclaimed 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent. Has she planned anything specific for the occasion?

I am currently having a show Coming to Jones Road Part 2 at the Spectrum Gallery in Chelsea. I am always working or preparing to work.

Art is a way of life for me. I am never too far away from a new idea, a new project.

In 2012 I will be creating permanent installations of my art at the Faith Ringgold Museum of Art and Storytelling in Harlem.

9. Political Activism

You have been politically active all your life. Could you tell us about some of the activists you have met and what you have learned from them?

I grew up on Sugar Hill in Harlem. I lived among people like WEB DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Langston Hughes, Aaron Douglas, Jacob Lawrence, Norman Lewis, Romare Bearden. Duke Ellington, etc. However, I didn’t know the artists were famous artists since I never learned about them in school or from art books and they did not have shows in museums. It was after I graduated from College that I first learned about Aaron Douglas and that he was the great artist of the Harlem Renaissance. However, everybody knew the musicians and their music.

James Baldwin’s sister was in my class in 1955 the year I began teaching art in at JHS 136 in Harlem.

10. Do you consider yourself social realist artists in the Neuberger Collection like, Ben Shahn?

I called my work from the 1960’s Super Realism because I wanted to involve my audience with the image in a personal way as if to say this is YOU.

I don’t think about fitting into already prescribed artistic genre. Basically I want to tell my story as a woman growing up Black in America. I like knowing that I can do that in a way that has never been done before. If an artist is true to their core we can do that. We are all one of a kind.

I try to dig deep and express my own life story, not just race and gender but kind. Whether or not I reach the public, I have done the best I can do with what and who I am.

Interview Request form

2009-12-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Note: Ms. Ringgold requires final approval on all materials that "quote her"before their publication.
Please email interview questions and this form to RinggoldFaith@aol.com

If questions are approved by Ms. Ringgold an interview date will be set.

Name

Email
Phone
References

1. Where and when will your work be published?

2. Will work be published electronically?

3. Will work be published in print on paper?

4. What is the deadline for your project?

5. Please describe the reason for this interview.

6. Is this interview related to an exhibition, lecture or other event?

7. What Faith Ringgold image do you request to illustrate your article?

8. Type of interview requested;
 Photo
 Video
 Phone
 Live
 Email

9. Please list three dates with times that would work for your interview with Ms. Ringgold.

10. Please include your interview questions with this form.

Email this form to RinggoldFaith@aol.com

Posters

2009-12-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

Faith Ringgold's poster images and poster ordering information

Click here to go to the poster order form

Picnic on the Grass Alone, poster

28 x 22" $15

Church Picnic Poster

33 x 33"

$20

Dancing at the Louvre, poster

28.5 x 22.5"

$15

A Family Portrait, poster

28 x 22"

$15

Listen to the Trees

28 x 22"

$15

Matisse's Chapel, poster

28.5 x 22.5"

$15

The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles poster

28.5 x 22.5"

$15

Tar Beach poster

28 x 22"

$15

Tar Beach 2, poster

2 28 x 22"

$15

The Homecoming, poster

22 x 28"

$15

Wanted: Douglas, Tubman and Truth, poster

22 x 28"

$15

Freedom of Speech poster $20

Posters are available for $15.00 - $20.00 each. All orders are filled on a prepayment basis only. Sorry no returns or refunds. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. Please complete each section of the form, print it out, and send it along with your total payment. Accepted forms of payment are, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, certified check or money order. If you choose to pay with a credit card you may e-mail your order form to Ringgoldfaith@aol.com and call Grace at 858 576-0397 with your credit card payment information.

Click here to go to the poster order form (Note: address on form is out of date)

Have questions call Grace at 858-576-0397 phone/fax

or email Ringgoldfaith@aol.com.

Credit card orders may be faxed, e-mailed and called in.

Send to: Faith Ringgold Posters,

P.O. Box 8082,

Englewood, New Jersey 07631.

Poster Order Form

copy and paste into an e-mail then send to Ringgoldfaith@aol.com

Send Posters to:

Name

address:

City, State, Zip:

Phone:

e-mail:
note:
payment method:

Quantity

[ ] Listen to the Trees

[ ] Groovin High

[ ] Tar Beach

[ ] Tar Beach 2

[ ] Picnic on the Grass Alone

[ ] Wanted: Douglass, Tubman and Truth

[ ] Family Portrait

[ ] Church Picnic (details only)

[ ] Matisse's Chapel

[ ] Total number of posters x $15= _____ + $15 shipping fee for 1 - 5 posters or $20 for 6-10 = $ _________

Shipping fees are for within the US only.

PS - To expedite your order please e-mail your order form. Send a note that your check is on the way or call (858) 576-0397 with your credit card payment. -Grace

Faith Ringgold Skype in the Classroom

2009-07-06T17:38:00.001-07:00

Dear Educators, Teachers and Parents,

Faith Ringgold is offering a new program, Faith Ringgold Skype in the Classroom. The introductory fee for the program is $400. Thanks to the technology of Skype Faith Ringgold can make virtual visits to classrooms across the country. The program is designed to use in a classroom with 40 or fewer students but can be customised for your school. The program contains an inspiring collection of audio and visual materials by and about Ms. Ringgold for use in your classroom.

The Skype in the Classroom Program includes the following digital files; Three power-point presentations: Tar Beach, How the People Became Color Blind, Ms. Ringgold’s, " From Story Quilts to Children’s Books 1980-2010 slide show".
Faith Ringgold’s Resume: Biography, Chronology, Bibliography, and photo of Ms Ringgold
Two Books; Here is the Sky Where Are You? drawing and activity book and How the People Became Color Blind Coloring Book

Skype Session
A Skype session with Ms. Ringgold lasts around 20-30 minutes. During the Skype session children may ask questions and share their projects, stories and pictures. Note: please email the children's questions in advance and send photos of the featured artworks so that Ms. Ringgold can see the projects clearly and be prepared to speak to those children. Please do a practice session with the children to work out the logistics. Ask the students to speak up and into the mike.

A set up/ test call will be scheduled an hour or two before your actual session. Schools will be required to have the computers, connections and applications necessary to participate in this program.

All of the program materials are in digital files and will become available to download from YouSendIt.com after a contract has been signed and the fee paid. Please create a free account at www.YouSendIt.com and download the YouSendIt Express application. The Express application will make downloading the program folder of materials a breeze. Distribution and printing of materials are limited to the contracted classroom only. If you prefer will will mail you a DVD. All materials by Ms Ringgold are protected under copyright law.

To learn more about Skype and to download the free Skype Application go to http://about.skype.com.

Please send payment and contract at least 30 days before your Skype session. This will allow the teacher time to preview the materials and create a schedule and plan for implementing the program. The $400 fee is non refundable. We understand that scheduled dates may need to be changed because of illness and technical problems to name a few popsicle obstacles. We will be flexible in re-scheduling Skype sessions with schools.

After your program participation we hope that you will share artwork, comments and lesson plans on the section of Faith Ringgold’s blog that is dedicated to teachers and students.

We look forward to seeing you on Skype!

Sincerely,

Grace Matthews, Faith Ringgold’s artist assistant

To book a Faith Ringgold Skype in the Classroom session please email the following information to Grace Matthews at Ringgoldfaith@aol.com. Grace will e-mail a contract and invoice back to you. Call (858) 576-0397 with questions, office hours are 9am to 4pm Pacific Time M-TH.

Contact Name and job title _____________

Contact Phone ___________________

Contact's Email ___________________
Teacher's name ___________________
Teacher's phone ________________________
Teacher's email _________________________

Schools name ________________________

Schools address ______________________

City, State, zip _________________________

Classroom grade level _______

Number of students participating _________________

Skype number________________________

Requested date and time (eastern standard time) for the Skype session _____________
Notes ____________________________________________

Copy and e-mail to Ringgoldfaith@aol.com.

Thank you letters from Skype program teachers

Nov 2011

Hi Grace,

Please let Faith know…Thank you! Especially so much for giving us so much time! The children loved it! It was amazing! We will share with you the finished quilt and please check our school blog to see our progress on the quilt. We hope it will be finished sometime in january. I will also spread the word of this wonderful program to my colleagues.

Thank you again.

gwenn zaberer

Dear Grace,

What a fantastic experience! A great way to use technology in the classroom in a very meaningful way.

Everything went really well. The students very much enjoyed the session (and were very well-behaved, which made me happy J).

A big thanks to you and Faith for making this possible!

Warm regards,
Kristy Scher

Declaration of Independence exhibition at Rutgers

2009-06-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

Exhibition: May 18 - June 26, 2009

A one-woman retrospective

“A Declaration of Independence: 50 Years of Art by Faith Ringgold"

Click here to see images and text of " The Declaration of Freedom and Independence"
scroll down to see the new "Yes I Can" playing cards

Reviews

1. Ilene Dube reviews Faith Ringgold's 50-year retrospective at Mason Gross Galleries

2. NY Times Review "Master of Story Quilts and Much More" By BENJAMIN GENOCCHIO

3. Michelle Wallace responds to NY Times article

4. Mason Gross Galleries Obama, the American Dream, and the Yes-We-Can Art of Faith Ringgold by Stuart Mitchner

5. Artist Faith Ringgold honored with a gala and retrospective May 15, 2009

6. Faith Ringgold Retrospective Gala

7. Gala to Mark Opening of Faith Ringgold Retrospective at Rutgers' Mason Gross Galleries Guests to receive boxed sets of artist’s newest work as gift May 05, 2009

8. YES I CAN! Playing cards by Faith Ringgold May 17, 2009 to Ongoing

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Do you like to play cards?

Faith Ringgold designed a deck of playing cards that is available now (at Rutgers).

Click here to see all of the playing cards.

Sonny Rollins and Faith Ringgold both

received Honorary Doctorates from Rutgers on May 20, 2009.

Student art work and lesson plans about Faith Ringgold

2009-01-22T10:35:00.004-08:00

Teachers share your lesson plans about Faith Ringgold with other teachers and students.
Email to RinggoldFaith@aol.com to be posted here.

Ashley Cogbill, Art Teacher at

Springfield Park Elementary School

Glen Allen, VA

Submitted on June 10, 2009

In honor of Black History Month, I read the book, Tar Beach, and inspired third grade students to create their own perspective of a picnic on a rooftop in the city at night. To begin making their art, students cut out squares of magazine paper and glued them around the perimeter of their page creating a unique, quilt-like border. Next, students drew a scene of their family & friends having a picnic on a rooftop in the city at night using perspective techniques. I provided students with visuals of rooftop gardens, bridges, skyscrapers, and city skylines to inspire their drawings.

On Day 2, students outlined their drawing with permanent black marker and began coloring it in neatly with oil pastels.

This boy has an interesting story: his dog ate his art work so he made another picture on his own because he liked it so much!

On the last day, students finished coloring in their tar beach pictures and added gold & silver glitter where light would be reflected. Then I mounted the works of art on black construction paper and displayed them in the main hallway along with pictures of Faith Ringgold and her art work. The End! -Ashley Cogbill, Art Teacher, Springfield Park E.S.

Springfield Park Elementary School
Glen Allen, VA
Ashley Cogbill, Art Teacher

X
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Anyone Can Fly Song by Faith Ringgold

2009-01-22T10:35:00.003-08:00

Anyone Can Fly Song

by Faith Ringgold

written 1991

There is a place way up high

Where everyone can fly

There's no limit to where you can go

Or how strong your wings can grow

All you have to know

Anyone can fly

If one can

Anyone can

All you got to do is try

Spread your arms to reach the sky

And you'll know the reason why

Anyone Can fly

You may have to take a chance

Feel the joy of song and dance

Let your body move around

Learn to laugh Ha! Ha! instead of frown

Don't waist another day

Worrying about what people say

Take your life in your hands

Now contemplate the flight command

Anyone can fly

If one can

Anyone can

All you got to do is try

Spread your arms to reach the sky

And you'll know the reason why

Anyone Can fly

They may say you don't know

You can't learn and you can't grow

Tell you you're through

And make it seem true

Have you laying in the street

Without a home and nothing to eat

Get inside your head so strong

Make you think everything right

Is wrong

But not for long

Anyone can fly

If one can

Anyone can

All you got to do is try

Spread your arms to reach the sky

And you'll know the reason why

Anyone Can fly

There are some people with wings in the sky

They are low but they fly high

They say you must have a certain face

Be a certain kind of a certain race

And that you must come from a certain place

They are guilty of telling a lie

That only certain folks can fly

Anyone can fly

If one can

Anyone can

All you got to do is try

Spread your arms to reach the sky

And you'll know the reason why

Anyone Can fly

You must use the power of the flight command

You must learn the magic of the helping hand

Love yourself and others too

Believe in them

And believe in you

And try hard

At everything you do

Anyone can fly

If one can

Anyone can

All you got to do is try

Spread your arms to reach the sky

And you'll know the reason why

Anyone Can fly

Anyone Can Fly

by Faith Ringgold

New York City

Teachers. We want video of your students singing Faith Ringgold's Anyone Can Fly Song.

Here are the tools to get you started;
1. Sheet music with words

2. Audio file with keyboard only

3. Short sample of the song

The files can be played with quicktime.
We will link to You tube video of students singing this song.

Commissions, Collaborations and Special Projects

2009-01-22T10:35:00.001-08:00

http://mosaikadesign.com/blog/?cat=18

"Yes I Can" Playing Cards & letter to the editor

2009-01-22T10:34:00.001-08:00

for sale at Rugers and from Faith

Letter to the NY Times by Faith Ringgold

May 27, 2009

It appears that the New York Times will not be running my letter to the Editor in rebuttal to the NY Times Review "Master of Story Quilts and Much More" By BENJAMIN GENOCCHIO.

Florence Kennedy once told me to, "Write about you're own damn self" so I'm publishing my words, here, myself.

Dear Mr. Genocchio

Your review: Master of Story Quilts and Much More published on May 22 in the New York Region section of the New York Times is (as you wrote about “A Declaration of Independence 50 Years of Art by Faith Ringgold” at the Mason Gross Galleries at Rutgers:) “not perfect.”

For one thing you completely “over looked” everything in the Political Gallery #3, in which the Declaration of Freedom and independence the titled and featured work including: illustrations, texts, story quilt and a portfolio of prints of “The Declaration of Freedom and Independence” are shown in two separate Galleries. And for another thing, there is not even a whisper about the deck of playing cards, titled “Yes I Can” which I created especially for the show, and in tribute to our first black president, Barack Obama, displayed in Jazz Gallery #1. Not to even mention the 13 quilts, paintings and prints of the “Coming to Jones Road Series” in the Jones Road Gallery #6. In which I experience my ancestors travail on the Underground Railroad some 200 years before coming to live in New Jersey myself in 1992.

One would have to see this show themselves to know all you missed. What you do not review somehow speaks much louder than what you do.

Faith Ringgold

5/27/09

News & Interviews

2009-01-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

Faith Ringgold speaks with Ruth Bauer Neustader
about President Obama, Change, Hope, Education,
Racial Questions and the new
Faith Ringgold Children's Museum in Harlem
on WBAI radio's Wakeup Call.

To listen click the link below. It takes you to the WBAI archived audio files.
WBAI archives

Wakeup Call
Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:00 am
Public Affairs
Click on the Play button then Push slider to 00:42:36 to skip music and get to the interview.

Lesson Plans and Student Artwork

2008-04-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Elementary Art
Date:Fri, 24 Apr 2009

Dear Faith Ringgold,
Recently I read "Tar Beach" to my third graders and had them create a work of art in response. We discussed many things, including who & what to bring to a rooftop picnic in the city at night and how it compared to going to the beach. We also discussed perspective, and how to create the illusion of space in a cityscape. Students began their pictures by glueing squares of magazine paper around the edges of their paper to resemble a quilt. Then they drew their picture inside, outlined it, colored it in with oil pastels, and added glitter for a touch of light. The children loved the sparkles! Here are some pictures of their artwork on display in our school-I hope you like it! :)

Thanks,
Ashley Cogbill
Art Teacher
Springfield Park E.S.
avcogbill@henrico.k12.va.us

Faith Ringgold Appearance Request

2008-04-10T14:50:00.001-07:00

See a sample of a Faith Ringgold lecture in a video at the bottom of this page.

“Anyone Can Fly,”- Tar Beach 1988

Faith Ringgold's appearance information
If you are interested in booking an appearance please read the following details about fees, requirements and exhibitions. Send the information requested below. After I have your information and we have settled on a date I will send you a contract, the required forms, biographical information and contact information for books, videos, and exhibitions. I look forward to hearing from you. Please call 858 576-0397 M-TH 9am to 4pm Pacific time with any questions - Grace Matthews

In Jan-April of 2010 will be developing a new Skype in the classroom program. If you and your school is interested in being part of the development process please let us know.

Fees for 2008 / 2009:
HONORARIUM: For one day: $5,000.00 and the cost of a 2nd consecutive day is:$4,500.00. This fee does not apply to appearances outside the USA.
All fees and arrangements for: transportation, hotel & meals are the responsibility of the contracting venue. The honorarium is to be paid the same day as the lecture and Faith Ringgold, Inc. is a corporation registered in the state of NJ. Your state should not withhold taxed from payment.

Program:

Ms Ringgold's program includes a 2 hour slide lecture, followed by Q and A and one book signing. The program can be modified for children. Ms. Ringgold's schedule should not exceed a four hour block of time. Select one of the following two lecture titles:

Lecture descriptions:
Faith Ringgold: More than 50 years.

In this survey lecture Ms. Ringgold begins in the early 1960's with political imagery and first hand accounts about the civil rights movement in the "American People Series." Her inspiring, often humorous and always very human stories will illustrate her life's work as an artist, activist, author, teacher and parent through the evolution of an awesome body of work that contains more than 100 paintings. Images from the Women on a Bridge Series, 1988, The French Collection, 1991, The American Collection, 1997 and the Coming to Jones Rd Series 2000 will be included. Ms. Ringgold will customize this lecture to focus on a specific painting series or related theme as per your request.

Faith Ringgold: Story Quilts and Children's Books

This lecture focuses on storytelling and the combination of image and text. It begins with the story quilts of the 1980's, and moves between images from books to images on quilts. Hear the story about how Ms. Ringgold's first children's book, Tar Beach began as a painting and evolved into an award-winning children's book. Adults may request to hear the dramatic story of; The Bitternest Series, The Change Series or Street Story Quilt. Young children can sing "Anyone Can Fly", hear about Martin Luther King, If a bus Could Talk: the Story of Rosa Parks and Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky. This lecture is great for educators and children and will be tailored to fit your audience.

Requirements
Contract, Forms (AV, hotel, transportation), itinerary and first class airline tickets must be sent at least four weeks before the appearance date. Ms Ringgold will agree to visit only after all terms and conditions have been met. Ms. Ringgold will not sign any complicated agreement that requires a lawyers interpretation.

Exhibitions:
Contact Dorian Bergen at ACA Gallery, NYC (212) 206-8080 info@acagalleries.com to arrange a Faith Ringgold solo exhibition. To preview an optional independent group show with artists: Faith Ringgold, Linda Freeman and Grace Matthews go to: http://gracematthews.blogspot.com/2007/09/1.html and http://ancestorsproject.blogspot.com/

To Book an Appearance:

Send the information requested below to Grace Matthews at RinggoldFaith@aol.com. E-mails occasionally end up blocked by spam filters. If you don't hear back from me please follow up with a phone call to (858) 576-0397 M-TH 9am to 4pm pacific time. I'll send you a note asap to let you know that I am in receipt of your data.

Please send the following information to request an Appearance

(copy and past into an e-mail)
Name of main contact:
Job Title
Company
Address
City, State & Zip
Fax
Phone
E-mail
Requested appearance date:
Who, if someone other than the person listed above will sign the appearance contact?
Alternate contact
Appearance Venue
Web address where event will be promoted:
Will you be hosting an exhibition of Ms Ringgold's work?
Type of event:
Notes about the audience:
Comments:

Reviews/ Thank You

****************************************
What a wonderful day we had yesterday. Faith was absolutely inspiring; the lecture was fantastic; we had a great audience for the lecture and the book signing went on from 9:30 to nearly midnight! Faith must be exhausted!
Rebecca Massie Lane
Director of Sweet Briar College Art Gallery,
Arts Management Program, & Museum
Sweet Briar, VA 24595

*********************************

Dear Faith,

Words are inadequate to express the depth of our gratitude and appreciation for your impressionable 2- day visit at P.S. 181. The building is still buzzing with vibrant energy and enthusiasm. Your slide presentation and commentary was remarkable. The students literacy experience was deeply enriched by your visiting the classes and interacting with them via accountable talk and affording the students a forum for questions and answers. Your willingness to do so many autographs amazed me. A more formal acknowledgement will follow. Thanks also for your lovely donation of books to the students of P.S.181. My special thanks to Grace your assistant , for the insurmountable amount of time and energy she expended on this endeavor. We are eternally grateful for 2 UNFORGETTABLE days. Lowell (Coleman, Principal PS 181 NYC)

********************

Grace, it was such a pleasure to have Ms. Ringgold at our conference as the keynote speaker. I would reccommend having her speak to any group interested. We had over 400 people in the audience and the responses I got were that she was fabulous and very insightful. Many teachers would like a copy of the story she read at the beginning of her presentation. Is that available? I thoroughly enjoyed how she told the story of her life through her art. She was very generous with her time and was willing to take the later flight if there were books that still needed signed. I was glad to hear that she enjoyed what we planned for her birthday. Nebraska teachers were delighted to share her special day with her. I know the singers haven't forgot that Ms. Ringgold would like a recording of what they sung. They were honored to perform for her birthday. I would like to thank you also for your help and patience to make this conference a great success.
Here are some comments from our evaluations about the lecture:

What a marvel...to hear her speak was so worthwhile:)
Compassionate.
Awesome lecture!!
Unbelievable!
Wonderful. Fabulous!
Off the chart!!!!!!
Wonderful!!!
Book Signing awesome!
Thanks!
What a great conference!
Thanks Omaha!
I think Faith Ringgold made the conference! I'll never forget!
Fantastic event

Feel free to use any of these for future events. Thanks again!!!!!!!

Angie Fischer
OPS Art Supervisor
Sincerely,

Angie Fischer
OPS Art Supervisor

************************************

Hello! I just returned last night from a Faith Ringgold appearance at Aquinas College and am just awestruck at the energy and inspiration Ms. Ringgold had.
I am interested in booking Ms. Ringgold for our school. If this is possible, please let me know the details of what we need to do. Thank you so very much!

Molly Vredevelt
Art Teacher
Excel Charter Academy

******************************

Faith's visit to Grand Rapids and Aquinas College October 12th and 13th....
We are nothing but pleased with Faith's visit here....it was a total success from our viewpoint.

If there is anything that I might suggest when Faith is scheduled to work with school children is to be sure to have the client get greater clarity on how much time is ideal for Faith to work with each age group. It did seem that she had planned more for her presentations with children than what our schedule allowed. More communication prior to the event about what the "ideal" schedule might be (when there are various age groups involved) would be helpful. We did have some AV issues during our school event which did not help the flow... obviously,that was a problem on our end, not Faith's.

I want to personally thank Faith for her visit here....I have heard numerous comments about what a "gift" we, as a Women's Studies group, gave the community with your visit here....you are so inspiring to all you come in contact with. I'm thankful to have had the privilege of spending two days with you.

Sincerely,
Margaret Cheff

*****************************

Dear Faith,

I so enjoyed meeting you and I feel as though I made a new friend. Your lectures, work and you are truly inspirational and I really believe anyone CAN fly!

The feedback from the teachers and students from both Shenandoah Middle School and Southside Elementary has been tremendous. I think they will never forget the day they "met" Ms. Faith Ringgold.

I will follow you and your work and wish you the best of luck with the launch of your new museum and school.

Sincerely,
Hope Torrents
Lowe Art Museum
University of Miami

= ========================

Contact: Grace Matthews

(858) 576-0397 M-TH 9am to 4pm pacific time

ringgoldfaith@aol.com

Video of Faith Ringgold lecturing at Aquanius College.

To book an appearance contact Grace Matthews at:

ringgoldfaith@aol.com

(858) 576-0397

office hours: M - TH 9am to 4pm Pacific time

Faith Ringgold Copyright request form

2008-04-10T14:49:00.001-07:00

The Declaration of Independence

2008-04-10T14:48:00.001-07:00

The Declaration of (Freedom and) Independence

illustrated by Faith Ringgold

ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, [and woman?] that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.

AND WOMEN?

Abagail Adams to John Adams March 31, 1776

. . . I long to hear that you have declared an independence and by the way in the New Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all the Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or Representation. That your sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute, but such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of Master for the more tender and endearing one of Friend why then not put it out of the power of the vicious and Lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity and impunity. Men of sense in all Ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the Vessels of your sex. Regard us then as Beings placed by providence under your protection as in imitation of the Supreme Being make use of that power only for our Happiness.

Ain’t I A Woman speech presented by Sojourner Truth 1851 Akron, Ohio

. . .That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman? . . . Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again!

ABSOLUTE TYRANNY

The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

TAXES ON US WITHOUT OUR CONSENT

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences: For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies.

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

WE HAVE APPEALED TO THEIR NATIVE JUSTICE AND MAGNANIMITY

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

AS FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. — John Hancock

New Hampshire:

Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:

John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:

Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:

Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:

William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:

Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:

Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:

Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:

Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:

George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:

William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:

Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:

Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Exhibition: May 18 - June 26, 2009

A one-woman retrospective

“A Declaration of Independence: 50 Years of Art by Faith Ringgold"

behind the scenes Mt Holyoke, Curee Holton

Click here to see images and text of " The Declaration of Freedom and Independence"
scroll down to see the new "Yes I Can" playing cards

Reviews

1. Ilene Dube reviews Faith Ringgold's 50-year retrospective at Mason Gross Galleries

2. NY Times Review "Master of Story Quilts and Much More" By BENJAMIN GENOCCHIO

3. Michelle Wallace responds to NY Times article

4. Mason Gross Galleries Obama, the American Dream, and the Yes-We-Can Art of Faith Ringgold by Stuart Mitchner

5. Artist Faith Ringgold honored with a gala and retrospective May 15, 2009

6. Faith Ringgold Retrospective Gala

7. Gala to Mark Opening of Faith Ringgold Retrospective at Rutgers' Mason Gross Galleries Guests to receive boxed sets of artist’s newest work as gift May 05, 2009

8. YES I CAN! Playing cards by Faith Ringgold May 17, 2009 to Ongoing

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Do you like to play cards?

Faith Ringgold designed a deck of playing cards that is available now (at Rutgers).

Click here to see all of the playing cards.

Sonny Rollins and Faith Ringgold both

received Honorary Doctorates from Rutgers on May 20, 2009.

Ben Portis Interview

2007-11-06T10:28:00.008-08:00

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO
FAITH RINGGOLD INTERVIEW NEW YORK CITY

MARCH 18, 2008

Ben Portis: All right. Hello Faith!

Faith Ringgold: Hello!

Ben Portis: The Art Gallery of Ontario's installation of art from 1969 to 1970 follows two themes, freedom and conflict. How did you experience freedom and conflict in the '60s?
Faith: Well, freedom was a big deal. And I guess it always has been in my life. I see that as the big hand that keeps me from doing the kinds of things I'm ready to do. It prevents opportunities and sort of decides who I am and where I will be able to go in the world. I don't think there's anything more important than freedom.  And if there is a problem with freedom, then it's a huge conflict because the two do go together. I remember a long time ago... Well, probably in the '60s. I decided how much did I want to do some of the things which I was doing which was going against the grain of what artists are supposed to do, especially in their work. In the '60s, for instance, work was supposed to be abstract, was supposed to be not about anything, no message. And I just had to decide that I was going to tell my story, whatever price I had to pay.  So, that's a conflict. It's a conflict with the art world, it's a conflict with the other artists that you're working with, it's a conflict with your family, with your friends, with people who you don't even know because of rejection for what it is you've decided to do. But I do believe that it's worth it, as an artist particularly, to struggle and to get where you want to be, to do what you want to do, no matter what the price because in the final analysis, the work does not change, the times may.

Ben: How has your understanding of these issues emerged in your art?

Faith: Well, that's a funny kind of thing. How do I say what it is I'm trying to say about what's going on? I try to find imagery that I can create that will set the scene and the early work that I did in the '60s I called it...

Ben: American People?

Faith: The American People series, yes. I called it super realism... No, not super realism, it was what they were doing. I don't know the name for it, I can't remember it right now. [laughs] But I wanted my images to be cutoff in the frame because I wanted people to feel that they were right in front of them, the images were in front of them, not off somewhere in the distance. 
04:20
I really wanted the art to be a statement that everybody would be able to understand, I didn't want it to be ambiguous. But I also wanted to bring some measure of beauty to that to attract their attention so they would come toward it, so they would attracted from a distance and then they would move close to see what the message is or they would get the message.  But not many people wanted any message in the '60s. They don't want artists... I mean, I remember one guy who told me: "I don't want any pictures screaming at me from the wall." So, I heard that but at the same time, I felt responsible to do what I wanted to do. And so I did.

Ben: Did you depict events or scenarios that you thought people would recognize or was it more intuitive?

Faith: No, I think I didn't depict absolute events. But I was trying to say in my work what's wrong with America, what's happening. Like, for instance, in "Die," I wanted to point to the growing violence and bloodshed that was happening in America, all of our great leaders being assassinated. And I started painting blood on my paintings too because when you see blood, the first thing you think of is death and I didn't want to use... I liked the idea of using blood to explain death and violence.  Although it was very traumatic for me when I first started with the "The Flag is Bleeding" and I first painted that blood on the flag. It went all through me. It was like oh my goodness! I felt very emotional about it. And I got over it. I remember I was at Spectrum Gallery, the first gallery I belonged to. This was the summer of 1967. I was in the gallery that I belonged to that they call the Spectrum Gallery and this guy came up on the elevator and the elevator was right opposite "Die" when I was painting it.  He came up there for something. And he got off the elevator and he said: "Oh! Look at all those blood!" and he got back on the elevator and ran downstairs. What's interesting about that is that some years later, say, 20 years later in the 1980s, that painting was in a museum and I was there at the time and there were some little children, second and third graders, and their teacher asked me to tell them about that painting. I didn't know that kids were going to be there. They didn't know I was going to be there.  So, I said: "Oh, wonderful!" I said: "You're a little young to understand this," I said. "But this painting is really about people being assassinated and violence in the street and I guess some of you have seen some of that and if you haven't, you will, and I wanted to make a statement about it by using blood, having blood all over the people." And one little boy said: "What blood?"
So by 1980 something, they were already immune to what I was doing. I thought that was fascinating because actually, in newspapers, on television, everywhere, before the late '60s, we never got a chance to see people bleeding. They didn't give us those kinds of photographs. Those kind of photographs were not published. Now, the sky's the limit.
09:15

Ben: So that last story leads to my next question, why do the '60s remain vivid and relevant today or do they?

Faith: Well, I think there are some things that have changed but they're still very relevant that there's a lot of work to be done. Yeah, I think the '60s are very much alive for some people obviously, not for others. Because freedom is something...you can't just achieve it and walk away from it, not that we ever achieved freedom in the '60s.  But even if we had you can't just walk away from it. It's something that has to be constantly cared for. Like my doctor says if you've got some kind of illness medicine today can treat it but they can't necessarily cure it. You see what I mean?  So I think the '60s in a lot of ways treated the awful episodes of inequality that ravaged this country but it's not been cure. It's still there. I think people have to be conscious. Everybody has to pay attention. Because I think it may even be human nature to oppose other people in a violent manner and to want to deprive other people of their freedom so that I can have mine. You see?  I think that may be something that people do because it's instinctive. I'm not sure. Why is it that people are so determined to deprive other people of a good life?

Ben: So, a little shift of topic. All right, the 1960s were the years that you found your artistic footing. What was it that came together for you then?

Faith: Well, I found my images. I found my colors. I found my voice. I found my audience. I found...I didn't find the market. [laughs] In the '60s nobody wanted to buy my work and that was for sure. I couldn't give it away in the '60s. But a lot of people did write about it. I had more than a little attention but no opportunity to show it.  And that was not good. Because what that does is it works more on the artist than it does on the audience you don't have. You'd probably stop working if nobody's looking. It's just going to be absolutely impossible to continue to work if there isn't anybody looking at what you're doing.  And I think also, you can't just change and try to do something that's more acceptable to people just to get an audience. So it was very difficult in doing and... there was a point I wanted to make here. Can you say that question again?

Ben: What came together for you in the 1960s artistically?

Faith: Perseverance. Yeah, just live it, stay there, don't move, they don't know better than you. The artist is the only one who knows what they should be doing. It's not about anything but the time you're living in and yourself. And I fed off the time.
  I can remember...I was teaching at the time and I remember running home from school to turn on the television to find out what was going on. And it just appeared to me that there were so many brilliant speakers, so many people speaking out on the events of the times.
14:20
We don't have that now. There isn't anybody saying anything that moves me. I was deeply moved by lots of people in the '60s who rose to the occasion and told us things that were worth listening to. You know, explaining the events of the time in brilliant ways.  I don't see that now. I see a lot of people saying, "What are they talking about?" It seems like there's an agenda and it goes on no matter what the events. So it's very different. But I think we may be coming back to that time. What is it? Like every 40 years we have some kind of revolutionary changes? I think we're in that... we're here.

Ben: Now, what painters were you looking at for inspiration and direction?

Faith: I looked at everybody. Andy Warhol and I looked at. I looked at Andy Warhol and William de Kooning. I loved his women series and I loved his colors, I mean, he wasn't political. But Andy was. He had a lot of statements to make about what was going on at the time. Not exactly like I was doing.  Jacob Lawrence, wonderful, I was very much impressed with him. I was also drawn very much to the whole pop art movement because of the big statement. You know how they made the figures so big and bold and how they would take an average thing and use it as a, you know like soup cans. I didn't use soup cans but I did in my "The Flag is Bleeding"  I made a commemorative stamp 8' by 6' to memorize... to memorialize the Black Power Movement, on a stand. The stand was little and then it's a pop art thing to do to make it, you know, real big. I thought that was good.  So there are a lot of artists I was really inspired by. When I would sort of get into a slump I'd go in a museum and look. And look and look and look until I felt really good [laughs] and then I'd come back home and do some more work.

Ben: Living in Holland did you feel any distance between your life, your world and the world of the artist that you see in other parts of New York or other parts of the world?

Faith: Oh yeah. I knew that my life was different from theirs. I knew my struggle was different from theirs. I knew my art was different from theirs and I had to be very careful about not allowing that to turn me around.  It's not...it wasn't easy to do that but it was absolutely completely necessary. I remember before I found my voice before I started the "American People Series" in 1963 that's when I started that I used to go around looking for a studio, I mean for a gallery, a gallery to represent my work.  I was doing landscapes, pictures of boats, water, scenes like that. And I went to this gallery on 57th Street Ruth White Gallery. And she had a lot of very beautiful landscapes and different kinds of stilllife pictures and so on. And I had some of those same subjects with me, and I would take the art with me. I wouldn't take pictures or any of that, I took the art. [laughs]
20:05
And so, I came into her gallery and my husband was with me, and we put the art out for her to look at, and she looked at it and she said, "You can't do that." This was about 1963, yeah. Just at the beginning of when I started my American People series. And I looked at her, and then my husband looked around, and we saw in her gallery all these still lives and landscapes and all of that.  I don't remember what else we said to each other, but when we left there he said to me, "Do you know what she means? Because she's got a lot of landscapes and all in her gallery that look very much like the same subject matter you have." So I said, "Yeah, I think what's she's saying is, 'with everything that's going on in this country, you can't do that. You should be more involved in the times. Tell your story. This has nothing to do with you.'" I mean, landscapes are beautiful and I love landscapes, and I've come to do more landscapes, but from a whole different perspective. And I said, "You know, she's right."  Now, whether she meant to be nasty, or was she just thinking up an excuse to keep me out of her gallery? I don't know. That didn't matter. I just took that remark and turned it into some good advice for me. And that's when I began to see that I was living in this really powerful period in American history, and as an artist and as a woman, I needed to be documenting it. As a black person in America, this was a time for me to have a voice. And this could be my voice, let's see what I can do with it.  I remember that summer I took my daughters up to Martha's Vineyard, and I took James Baldwin, I had written everything he had written, and Amiri Baraka Mainly James Baldwin and Amiri Baraka. And I read and read and read, and what they had to say was interesting, but it isn't as an artist would say it. And I began to paint that American People series that summer. I give her credit for stopping me in my tracks and telling me, for whatever reason she had, that I should find my voice and my vision.

Ben: What is the artist's role in the community, from your experience?

Faith: Well, I think the artist's role is to, in some ways, document the times. Because we look at art through history. We can tell a lot about the time the artist lived by just looking at the pictures, or the sculpture that they did. And every group of people does this, every culture of people, every race of people does this. Those who have highly developed, fascinating cultures create artists who have the same, because they work together. So as a black woman, my role is to speak in my voice as to race and gender, about the times that I lived in. And I see that as a responsibility that I take on.  Just looking at art from all over the world, you can see that artists have done this. They show you what happened, what was happening at the time they were living. In many cases, if they're figurative, they're going to show you the people, what they look like, what they were doing, and what they were feeling, you know?
25:30
A very interesting thing is the minimalist period that came out of the '70s. Well, maybe it started in the '40s, but... I mean, during a time when the country was in upheaval. So it was a way of saying, "We're not, we're just going to see everything very plain," and very... not even beautiful. We don't even want to use those words. "We're just going to phase out of all this excitement."  The minimalist period was right in there with all the political art, all the figurative art. What a great period. And I would love to see that happen again. I don't think it's happening right now, but I'd like to be in the middle of one of those periods again, like the '60s.

Ben: Along with being an artist in these years, and for many years before you had been a teacher, how did that bring a sense of purpose, responsibility that you took into your painting?

Faith: Well, I have taught art to children from prekindergarten straight through to graduate school in college. And I love being a part of collegeaged artists' work, of their development. I like to feel that I can help them. And so I taught for many years at the University of California in San Diego; those were glorious years meeting young people who needed direction to create art.  I taught for 18 and a half years in the public schools in New York, and that was wonderful too, especially teaching the little ones. Prekindergarten to about fourth grade, they're magic. [laughs] They are so spontaneous and so wonderful. When I was in college we were taught to copy the great masters of European painting. And in that way, we learned a lot about composition and color and so on. I mean, I don't condone it, but I will say that it had a benefit.  However, you could get very stiff, you know, not knowing what your composition is. What are your colors? What's your spontaneity? I think I learned that from the children. Those little kids could pick up a paintbrush and put some color on it and just go. They knew exactly what to do with the space, and that's one of the hardest, most difficult things a painter has to achieve, is knowing how to compose the space. What do you put there? What color is it? What color is next to it? And children are masterful of that. I give them credit for that. I am so happy that I did become a teacher instead of an artist who never taught, because I don't know what the outcome would look like. I really don't know.
 I know that when I was a very little child, I was always given paper and paint and brushes to paint, at home, in school, everywhere. And on my way to school... We lived in the valley, and the school that I went to was on a hill. As we would climb and hill, we would see these boys coming out of the subway on St. Nicholas Avenue, walking up the hill to Convent Avenue, and then turning down to go down the street.  I remember one day, I said to my mother, "Where are they going?" And she said, "They're going to the City College of New York." I had always been told from the time I was a little kid that I was going to college when I grew up, but nobody had said what I was going to be. Although I did all this art, nobody ever said, "You're going to be an artist, aren't you?" Never. Well, in the 1930s, you know what I mean? It didn't work.
30:35  So, one day she took me down there to see these gothic buildings at City College. I fell in love with that whole university at that time. I said, when I grow up I'm going to go to this college. And so, that was in my mind.  When I graduated in 1948, and I went there to get my matriculation process and all that, I discovered that females were not permitted to matriculate in the School of Liberal Arts at that time at the City College of New York. So, late '40s. Now my whole world was blown up in space, because my plan was to go to City College and get my art degree.  So, they said, "You can go to Hunter, you can go to Brooklyn." "No, I can't go anywhere like that, because this is what I've been thinking about all these years. I want to go up that hill." And it never occurred to me that all those boys I saw going up that hill, those were all boys. I never saw any girls go. But it didn't occur to me, "Well, you can't do that. They're all boys."  But then I found why they were all boys. They were all boys because the school was really a man's school. But I did also discover that I could go to City College if I majored in art and minored in education, and I could become an art teacher. I said, "Yeah, OK."  My family loved it because I come from a family of teachers. So, they said, "Oh, that's so wonderful. Thank God. This kid's not going to be one of those artists that can't find work."  So, I did go to City College. I did get a bachelor's and a master's degree in art education, and was able to take all the art courses plus an extra bonus: I could teach. And if I hadn't done that, would I have found a way to teaching? I don't know.  I don't know what would have happened, but I know this. If I had missed the experience of teaching those little children that would have had a great effect on my work and the kind of things I do. So, I'm almost glad that they didn't allow women at the time, because it worked for me.

Ben: Earlier you referred to yourself a black woman artist, but there have been times when you've had to be a black artist apart from being a woman artist, or a woman artist apart from being a black artist, because there were two struggles going on. Could you talk a little bit about that?

Faith: Well, I don't know how to divorce them. I don't know how to separate the two. Both need urgent attention at all times. So, it does require that one be cognizant of the fact that there are two struggles. You can't just separate them out. It just is continuous. I don't separate them. They're the same.  Black men don't have a problem, gender. Gender's not their issue. I can see that very clearly. But it is mine. So, we have one problem that's the same, the one of race. But then we have this extra burden, this extra thing that separates us out in a way that nobody can understand. Like women who are not black do not understand the black part in the women. And the men who aren't women don't understand the women's part.
34.55  But it's up to me. I have a responsibility to understand it all, because it's all my issue. And that is exceedingly difficult, but with all the other difficult things I've had to face I just take it on.

Ben: Your 1967 canvas dye (DIE?) was the culmination of your first important painting series called American People. What was the series about?

Faith: The series was about what was happening in America at the time. All the different kinds of issues that were fresh, that were being reviewed for the first time. The positions of black people being so alienated from the majority race of people, white people in America, that it was something that we faced every day.  Every single solitary day everywhere, no matter what you did, there were some peoplein fact there were a lot of peoplewho closed their eyes and pretended it wasn't happening. But there were others who just had to face the music and realize that there was a lot to be done.  What was wonderful about it was the many wonderful people who came out of that. I think people rise to the occasion in difficult times. You get these people who are so inspiring and so uplifting that they make the bad times almost worth it, because you see such beauty in other people. We had so many people like that.  Like, for instance, with Martin Luther King and the way he lived his life through his speeches. You could recognize the fact that he was going to pay for what he was doing, but it wouldn't stop him. He was revved up, he was on a roll. He couldn't go back the other way. There were periods in his life when he could have stopped and just got quiet. And I'm sure there were lots of people who did that. But he could not do that.
 How awful for his family that he was assassinated the way he was, but it was a benefit for us, because he gave America a new look, a new consciousness that lives even today. So, he lost his life, but for an excellent cause. I can't think of a better cause than he did.  And I think he knew that, and he tried to tell us that in many of his speeches, that he knew he wouldn't... Like he said, "I've been to the mountaintop, and I've looked over and seen the promised land. I might not get there with you." But he felt that life would be better because of some of the things that he was doing. He felt purposeful in his life, and that's a great thing to feel. And then there were others, so many others that did the same thing.

Ben: Many of the people that you depict in "American People" have an almost ordinary, anonymous appearance and quality to them. Could you say a little bit about that common touch? 40.00

Faith: Yeah, it's along with the size of the people and the fact that sometimes their heads are cut off or they're so frontal in the frame that we can't see much of them, we can't see their whole body, has to do with the fact that I am trying to associate these images with everyday people. These are everyday people, these are not anybody special. This is just the man, the woman in the street. That's what I wanted to do. I was trying to make it personal. Personalize it.

Ben: To finish off, could you tell us a little bit more about "Die" and its details and how some of the things that we've been discussing today are evident in that?

Faith: Well, there's another story connected with "Die" actually. There was an artist. His last name was Woodruff. I can't remember his first name. Anyway, he is in Port [inaudible] and he was taking a group to Japan. No, he was taking a group to Liberia for a black and African Festival that was going to be in Liberia. I applied to go and he said: "Send me some of your work to look at."  And so, he was an African American man. So, I sent him my American collection, like from '63 to... I think this conference or whatever it was, was happening in 1966 in Liberia, the first International Art Conference or something. I really wanted to go very badly and I sent him my work from '63 to '66.  And he saw it and he said: "Well, you know? Your work is too static. It doesn't move. Your figures seem to be very rigid and not moving in the space." See, there's another thing, as a woman, you always have to have an art lesson. [laughs] Sell your work and they give you an art lesson free. [laughs] As if I didn't know how to make things move. So, anyway, I didn't get to go. [laughs] I did get to go to the next one many years later, but I didn't get to go to that one.

 I thought about him and I always like to take those bad things, like that woman who said: "You can't do this." I turned them into something beneficial to me. I could just get angry and go away or I can see a benefit. I know how to make things move and I proved it with "Die." [laughs] I did that the way I did it. Now, if it hadn't been for him, I may have made that composition different. But those people are moving. [laughs]  I mean, why does he assume that I can't make people move because they're not moving in the paintings? Maybe that's why I didn't want them to move. I didn't. I wanted them to be as they were. I wanted them to be confrontational, I wanted them to be in your face. I didn't want them moving. But then I thought about this last painting of the... The three last ones. The other two were pretty standing still which is what the whole series was. But the very last one, "Die," they're moving. [laughs] And bleeding and fighting and carrying on.  And that was in tribute to him because he just assumed that I couldn't do something that I wasn't doing at the time. These are some of the things you have to go through. You're black and a woman, you can't do it. I mean, in this I can see everything that you know how to do, there are going to be a whole lot of things I think you can't do. And that is just a heavy burden to have on you.  But I distinctly remember Hale Woodruff was in there. He was a very important African American artist. He taught at NYU and he organized this group to go to Africa in 1966 and boy, I wanted to go. I couldn't get there because I didn't have the right work, what can I say?

Ben: Any more questions? I just need you to move your head off in front of the mic [inaudible]. It was perfect until just the last two seconds.

Faith: OK.

Ben: OK, you've got another question?

Man 1: I just want to ask you about one element of that painting which is in contrast to the mÍlÈe of figures you've... This is, in fact, two canvasses that are square and within each canvass there's a division of nine squares that are in a kind of somber, static, gray and was that to set off the dynamism of the figures?
Faith: Yeah, that's the sidewalk. After that, my color, my palette changed and I started... For a period of time, I painted very black paintings because after that period came in the "Black is Beautiful" period. And that was very moving for me and I painted people and backgrounds in harmony with black skin and I called that the "Black Light" series. That was a series of 12 paintings I did after.  So, I'm coming into it and I wanted to hold it. Also, it speaks to the truth that I finally get to do in 1980 with those squares because that's sort of like a signature of quilt making. So, I'm doing the squares. It's also a way of holding a very vigorous kind of composition together by making those squares and it's also the sidewalk.  So, it just represents a lot of different elements in the composition. It's a compositional thing that I thought held everything together. Also, tone down some of those wild colors and was not moving at all. And also, I think this was the second time that I use children in my composition and I just that the children were a great contrast to the adults who were just raising hell. The kids are terrified and holding on to each other. So, it has a contrast use.

Man 1: Thanks. Thank you, Faith. That was terrific.

Faith: You're welcome, this was fun.

Books

2007-11-06T10:28:00.007-08:00

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Contact Information

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For Copyright permission or to book an

appearance contact Faith Ringgold's Artists assistant:

Grace Matthews
Office hours M-Th 9-4pm Pacific Time
(858) 576-0397 ph/fax San Diego, CA
ringgoldfaith@aol.com

Mailing address:
Faith Ringgold Inc
PO Box 8082
Englewood, NJ 07631
(201) 816-1374

Blog: http://faithringgold.blogspot.com
Web site: www.faithringgold.com

Exhibition Information and art sales:
ACA Gallery
Dorian Bergen
212 206-8080
529 West 20th street, 5th floor
NYC 10011

Literary Agent:

Marie Brown & Associates, NYC
212 939-9725

Works in Publication

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Books By or About Faith Ringgold

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Book List without images

1 Tar Beach
ISBN 0-517-58031-4
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: 1 / ID# WPub01 1991

2 Aunt Harriets Underground Railroad in the Sky
ISBN 0-517-58768-8
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: 2 / ID# WPub02 1992

3 French Collection Part I Library of Congress
#124424 11/30/1998 VA 926-365 11/30/
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Being My Own Woman Press Faith Ringgold Inc POB 429 Englewood, NJ 07631
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub03 1992

4 Dinner at Aunt Connie's House
ISBN 1-56282-426-0
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Hyperion Books for Children out of print see Scholastic below
Crate: 3 / ID# WPub04 1993

5 Faith Ringgold Portraits of Women Artists for Children
ISBN 0-316-85652-5
Author/ Illustrator : Robyn Montana Turner
Little Brown and Company out of print
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub05 1993

6 My Dream of Martin Luther King
ISBN 0-517-59977-5
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: 4 / ID# WPub06 1995

7 Talking to Faith Ringgold
ISBN 0-517-70914-7
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold Nancy Roucher Linda Freeman
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub07 1995

8 We Flew Over the Bridge: The Memoirs of Faith Ringgold
ISBN 0-8212-2071-3
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Little Brown and Company Out of print See Duke University Press below
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub08 1995

9 Dancing at the Louvre: Faith Ringgold's French Collection and Other Story Quilts
ISBN 0520-21429-3
Author/ Illustrator : Dan Cameron
University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub09 1998

10 Bonjour Lonnie
ISBN 0-7868-2062-4
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Hyperion Books for Children Out of Print
Crate: 5 / ID# WPub10 1996

11 Invisible Princess
ISBN 0-517-80025-x
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: 6 / ID# WPub11 1998

12 Counting to Tar Beach
ISBN 0-517-80022-5
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: 8 / ID# WPub12 1999

13 Cassie's Colorful Day
ISBN 0-517-80021-7
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: 8 / ID# WPub13 1999

14 If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks
ISBN 0-689-81892-0
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Simon and Schuster 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York 10020 NY
Crate: 7 / ID# WPub14 1999

15 Art on Fire: The Politics of Race and Sex in the Paintings of Faith Ringgold
ISBN 0-9667345-0-5
Author/ Illustrator : Lisa Farrington
Millenium Fine Arts Publishing Inc. POB 1512 Cooper Station New York 100276 NY
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub15 1999

16 Coming to Jones Road
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Good Stuff Press Faith Ringgold Inc POB 429 Englewood, NJ 07631
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub16 2000

17 Cassie's Word Quilt
ISBN 0-375-91200-2
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Random House Crown Publish-ers, Inc. 201 East 50th St New York 10022 NY
Crate: 8 / ID# WPub17 2002

18 O Holy Night
Includes a CD of Christmas Carols sung by the Boys Choir of Harlem
ISBN 0-06-051819-7
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Harper Collins 1350 Avenue of the Americas New York 10019 NY
Crate: 9 / ID# WPub18 2004

19 Faith Ringgold: David Driskell Series of African American Art Volume 111
ISBN 0-7649-2761-2
Author/ Illustrator : Lisa Farrington
Pomegranate POB 808022 Petaluma, California 94975
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub19 2004

20 A View From the Studio
ISBN 1-593730454
Author/ Illustrator : Curlee Raven Holton
Bunker Hill Publishing 26 Adams Street Charlestown, Massachucettes 02129 USA
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub20 2004

21 We Flew over the Bridge: The Memoirs of Faith Ringgold
ISBN 0-8223-3564-6
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Duke University Press Durham, and London
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub21 2005

22 The Three Witches
ISBN 10 0-06-000650-1
Author/ Illustrator : Zora Neale Hurston/Faith Ringgold
Harper Collins 1350 Avenue of the Americas New York 10019 NY
Crate: 10 / ID# WPub22 2006

23 Bronzeville Boys and Girls
ISBN 10-0-06-029506-6
Author/ Illustrator : Gwendlyn Brooks/Faith Ringgold
Harper Collins 1350 Avenue of the Americas New York 10019 NY
Crate: 11 / ID# WPub23 2007

24 Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists Faith Ringgold
ISBN 10 0-531-18526-5
Author/ Illustrator : Mike Vinezia
Children's Press Scholastic, Inc 557 Broadway New York 10012 NY
Crate: N/A / ID# WPub24 2007

25 Dinner at Aunt Connie's House
ISBN 0-590-13713-1
Author/ Illustrator : Faith Ringgold
Scholastic, Inc 555 Broadway New York 10012 NY
Crate: 3 / ID# WPub25 2007

F A Q

2007-11-06T10:28:00.001-08:00

-Jill M. McMillan, Senior at the University of Southern Maine in Portland Q: If you have a moment to respond, and you wouldn't mind telling me about three aspects that influence your (e.g. Childhood influences, Faith, Cultural Influences). In my opinion the three I listed seem to be the focus of most of your stories and illustrations, but why? Sat Nov 24, 2007

Faith Ringgold A: I became an artist in the tumultuous 1960s. However difficult the times I was dedicated to tell my story and in love with being an artist. By the early 1970s I had developed both vision and voice as a black woman artist in America.

I went to West Africa in the 1970s and returned home inspired to write my memoir. We Flew Over the Bridge: The Memoirs of Faith Ringgold was published in 1995 it took me fifteen years to get it published. During that time I wrote and painted story quilts and began to create masked performances to tell my story. I had been working in collaboration with my mother, Mme Willi Posey a dressmaker and fashion designer. We made our first quilt in 1980.

News of the great jazz saxophonist, Sonny Rollins, a childhood friend, blowing his horn on the Manhattan bridge so that he would not disturb his neighbors, inspired the painted story quilt, Tar Beach. That story of Cassie Louise Lightfoot flying over the George Washington Bridge became my first children's book. I have published 14 children's books to date.

1990 found me in France painting the French Collection and writing the story of Willia Marie Simone, a self styled African American woman artist who went to Paris to be an artist in 1920 during the Harlem Renaissance.

The American Collection came next and the story quilts and children's books continued to document my artistic production.

In 1992 my husband, Birdie, and I moved from Harlem to Jones Road in Englewood, New Jersey to build a studio. However, our white neighbors (unsuccessfully) sought to deny us the freedom to live there. Freedom, you know, is not free--It took me six years to realize my dream of a beautiful studio surrounded by a beautiful garden. Inspiring images of my ancestors on the Underground Railroad now appeared in my new landscape paintings of Coming to Jones Road Under a Blood Red Sky.

Icons of black men and women making the music the whole world loves, the music we brought to America along with the pain of slavery was now a new inspiration. " Mama Can Sing" and "Papa Can Blow" are the ever reassuring realities of black life I depend on during difficult times.

Recent work includes Our Ancestors: stories about the worlds children who faced with life in a world at war have forgotten how to play. We call upon our ancestors who would surely bring love and happiness into their lives? Where would we have been without them?

It is 2007 and I have just completed a series of 8 serigraphs for publication of Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham City Jail , in which he masterfully details our struggle for freedom for which he paid with his life. The 1960s, the majestic words of freedom and peaceful solutions to The Struggle in America are all quite unimaginable without the presence of Martin Luther King Jr. A tribute I feel honored to create.
Faith Ringgold

INVITATION

2007-09-21T09:39:00.003-07:00

Double click to see a larger printable version of the invitation.

Children's Museum

2007-09-21T09:39:00.001-07:00

A new museum is coming to Harlem!

The Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling will be sited on Sugar Hill, the epicenter of Harlem and Faith’s neighborhood of origin. A state-of-the-art “green” building design and construction is planned with contextual architectural sensitivity and innovation.

Click here for More information on the plans for the Faith Ringgold's Children's Museum . “February 11, 2008 / NY 1 video" interview at ACA gallery about the progress of the museum.

Columbia Spaectator

Ringgold looks to give back to Harlem through art

A new buildling will house the Faith Ringgold Children’sMuseum, tying art and community development together in the most direct way yet.

By Sarah Darville
Published Friday 20 November 2009 01:17am EST.

A collection of quilts and photographs wove the biography of artist Faith Ringgold and her family together with the story of Harlem on Thursday night.Ringgold, whose story quilts now hang in the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, grew up in Harlem. Her daughter, author Michele Wallace, presented the quilts at the offices of Broadway Housing Communities on 135th Street. Soon, they may hang in her own museum. Broadway Housing, an organization that works to provide affordable housing and community resources to prevent homelessness, is planning a new building on 155th Street. It will house the Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum, tying art and community development together in the most direct way yet.“read the article ”

Village Voice

A Thanksgiving Honor Roll:

NYC's Unsung Heroes

Lauding the oft-overlooked people in a city of celebrity

By Tom Robbins

Tuesday, November 24th 2009 at 4:01pm

This is a story about the other New York. Week in and week out, the city is dominated by spectacles of celebrity and scandal, of politicians and moguls squandering vast fortunes on self-promotion. The other New York—the one inhabited by ordinary citizens who plug away day after day doing small good deeds, by those who fight the good fight regardless of the odds—forever gets short shrift.

“read village voice article”

MLK's Letter from Birmingham city jail

2007-07-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Eight serigraphs illustrating Martin Luther King's

letter from a Birmingham jail

"LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL, April 16, 1963" Text

Letter from Birmingham City Jail Limited Edition Artist Book

Book Description:Published by: Limited Editions Club in 2008. This Edition Limited to 420 numbered copies signed by Faith Ringgold to colophon. Illustrated by eight serigraph prints by Faith Ringgold. Ringgold's fabulous and evocative serigraph's are superlative accompaniments to Dr. King's stirring text. Each print is hand-pulled and contains an average of 13 colors per print. The public viewed the prints for the first time at a reception honoring Ringgold, a longtime collaborator of Holton and EPI, at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Centerfor Research in Black Culture. Ringgold’s art has been exhib-ited in major museums around the world and is in the perma-nent collections of the Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of American Art, Museum of Modern Art, and Boston Museum of Fine Art, among others. folio. 12.25" x 14". Bound in full red linen over boards. Gilt titled morocco label inset to front cover. Encased in a like bound, ultra-suede lined Solander box with gilt titled morocco label inset to spine. Usual paper undulation of hand-pulled serigraphs. A Very Fine, Pristine, apparently unread copy.

Book Description: Limited Editions Club, New York, 2008. linen. Book Condition: As New in slipcase. First Edition. Folio (12-1/4" x 14") bound in full red linen over boards with a gilt-titled morocco label inset to the front cover. Illustrated by Faith Ringgold with eight serigraph prints, each print hand-pulled containing an average of thirteen colors per print. Housed in an ultra-suede lined solander box with a gilt-titled morocco label inset to the spine. One of 420 numbered copies SIGNED by the artist on the colophon page.

Printed at the Experimental Print Institute

EPI has produced eight original serigraph prints by artist Faith Ringgold for Letter from Birmingham City Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr., which will be shown at a public reception for Ringgold Wednesday, Nov. 28 at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY.

EPI produced each of the eight prints for Letter from Birmingham City Jail in a series of 600 to be hand bound in an edition of books and portfolios. The text is to be hand-set lettertype. EPI began working with The Limited Editions Club of New York City last spring to produce the prints. Each print is hand-pulled and contains an average of 13 colors per print.

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, of the New York Public Library, is a national research library devoted to collecting, preserving and providing access to resources documenting the history and experiences of peoples of African descent throughout the world. Today, the Schomburg Center contains over 5,000,000 items and provides services and programs for constituents from the United States and abroad.

The Limited Editions Club has issued more than 600 editions over the last 78 years using the talents of a tremendous variety of artists, printers, designers, and binders. Other books published by the Limited Editions Club include Jacob Lawrence’s Genesis, an edition of 400, Picasso’s Lysistrata, and Thomas Hart Benton books.

Ringgold, an acclaimed artist and author, began her artistic career more than 40 years ago as a painter and is best known today for her painted story quilts—art that combines printing, quilted fabric, and storytelling. She was a tenured professor in the visual art department at the University of California at San Diego for 17 years until her retirement in 2002 and has served as an artist-in-residence at Lafayette’s Experimental Printmaking Institute.
Ringgold’s first book, Tar Beach, was a Caldecott Honor Book and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration. She has written and illustrated more than a dozen children's books in addition to books for an adult audience. Her work is in the permanent collection of many museums, including the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Museum of Modern Art. She has received more than 75 awards, fellowships, citations, and honors, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Fellowship for painting, two National Endowment for the Arts Awards, and 16 honorary doctorates.

Ringgold has a close relationship with EPI. Holton is the author of Faith Ringgold: A View from the Studio (2005), which was published in conjunction with Ringgold’s exhibition at the Allentown Art Museum. Holton and Ringgold have worked together on several projects since 1993.

http://www.lafayette.edu/admissions/majors/art.html

Faith Ringgold, News, Appearances, Exhibitions, © Permission & Projects

Welcome to Faith Ringgold's Blog

Students of Faith Ringgold

Faith Ringgold Withdraws Name, Artwork and Support from Planned Faith Ringgold Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling in Harlem.

CAA Award

http://www.collegeart.org/awards/2011awards

Recipients of the 2011 Awards for Distinction

Bio 635 words Feb 2011

People Portraits at the Los Angeles Civic Center Subway Station

Photo of Faith Ringgold

Faith Ringgold: Visionary Videos: NVLP: African American History

Faith Ringgold's Art of the 1960's research by Michele Wallace

Coming to Jones Road, Part One

Interview for the Neuberger docents for Faith Ringgold's Art of the 60's exhibition

Interview Request form

Posters

Faith Ringgold Skype in the Classroom

Declaration of Independence exhibition at Rutgers

Student art work and lesson plans about Faith Ringgold

Anyone Can Fly Song by Faith Ringgold

Commissions, Collaborations and Special Projects

"Yes I Can" Playing Cards & letter to the editor

News & Interviews

Lesson Plans and Student Artwork

Faith Ringgold Appearance Request

Faith Ringgold Copyright request form

Copyright Request to Use a Faith Ringgold Image

The Declaration of Independence

Ben Portis Interview

Books

Contact Information

Works in Publication

F A Q

INVITATION

Children's Museum

Village Voice

A Thanksgiving Honor Roll:

NYC's Unsung Heroes

“read village voice article”

MLK's Letter from Birmingham city jail