Grio100: Kadir Nelson, drawing from the past to illustrate hope
By Talia Whyte
You may not know Kadir Nelson by name, but you’ve probably come across his work. Whether you saw a commemorative U.S. postage stamp or a scene from a big-budget Hollywood film, this San-Diego-based artist and illustrator uses his art to record the black experience, and he’s leaving an observable mark along the way.
Born in Washington D.C., Nelson originally wanted to be a basketball player. But art has always played a central role in his life.
“It’s part of my DNA,” he says on his website. With the help of his uncle and his high school art teacher, Nelson began painting in oils at 16 and entered and won several art competitions, which led to an art scholarship to study at New York’s Pratt Institute. Upon graduation, Nelson received commissions from major corporations like Coca-Cola and Major League Baseball.
Read the full article here