American Painter, Quilt maker and Story Teller

Faith Ringgold was born October 8, 1930 in Harlem, New York. Faith’s mother was in fashion design so there were always a lot of sewing materials around the house. Faith suffered from asthma growing up and missed a fair amount of school. While staying at home with her mom she developed a love for doing art projects.

Faith attended City College in New York City and receives a BS in Fine Art and Education.

Faith takes a painting class in college and after critiquing a landscape painting that Ringgold did, her professor tells her that he doesn’t see where she would have a future in art. She goes on to say that when he said that, she knew she was going to be artist, just because he said she would never be good enough to be one.

Upon graduation Faith begins teaching in the New York public school system.

Faith spends her summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts rendering oil paintings of houses, landscapes, fishing boats, and the ocean.

During a summer spent at Oaks Bluff on Martha’s Vineyard, Faith develops her first mature painting style; the content is influenced by the writings of James Baldwin and Amiri Baraka (then Leroi Jones)—the artist calls her style “super realism.” Begins painting The American People Series of oil paintings. Writer / Essayist James Baldwin Poet Amiri Baraka

In 1966 Ringgold participates in the first black exhibition held in Harlem since the 1930s. Meets Romare Bearden, Ernie Crichlow, Norman Lewis, Charles Alston, Hale Woodruff, Betty Blayton— her first real contact with black artists.

In 1967 Ringgold paints her first mural, The Flag Is Bleeding. It was reprinted as a U.S. Postage Stamp Commemorating the Advent of Black Power.

In 1973 a ten-year retrospective of Ringgold’s work was held at Voorhees Gallery at Rutgers University. She resigns from her teaching position in the New York City public school system to continue touring and to create art full time. She does her first dolls, The Family of Woman Series.

Ringgold next developed hanging soft sculptures, Wilt and Couple series; both series feature painted coconut heads. Does The Windows of the Wedding Series, abstract paintings based on African Kuba design, and uses them as the environment for soft sculptures.

In 1978 Ringgold receives the National Endowment for the Arts Award for sculpture. She develops a Ringgold Doll and Harlem ‘78, a series of soft sculptures. In 1979 Ringgold develops the International Dolls Collection and the Ringgold Doll Kits (Sew Real).

In 1980 Faith and her mother began work on her first story quilt, Echoes of Harlem, a quilt for the Artist & Quilt show. Story quilts would become one her most well known art forms.

Ringgold’s technique in making story quilts would be to hang the quilt in her studio and paint the art work onto the quilt.

Through out the 80’s Ringgold would continue to create story quilts. They get their name because she includes the story about the art work right on the art work.

Faith was inspired by Tibetan Thankas that she observed in a gallery in Amsterdam. Here she gets the idea to include fabric frames on her work instead of traditional wood frames.

Ringgold would continue to highlight African American culture. Particularly putting African American women in a positive light and highlighting their accomplishments in her artwork.

In 1991 Ringgold’s first children’s book is published. It wins many national awards and is themed off of her most famous story quilt, Tar Beach.

Cassie Louise Lightfoot, eight years old in 1939, has a dream: to be free to go wherever she wants for the rest of her life. One night, up on "tar beach" --the rooftop of her family's Harlem apartment building--her dream comes true. The stars lift her up, and she flies over the city. She claims the buildings as her own--even the union building, so her father won't have to worry anymore about not being allowed to join just because his father was not a member. As Cassie learns, anyone can fly. "All you need is somewhere to go you can't get to any other way. The next thing you know, you're flying above the stars."

In 1992 she publishes her next children’s book, Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky and she releases her French series of story quilts.

Ringgold continues today to create art and publish children’s books.

Ringgold also supplements her income by touring as an inspirational speaker.

Weaving – Weaving is the process of interlacing two sets of threads.

Loom – The framework the weaving is on. Floor Loom Table top loom Mini loomStraw loom

Weft – The string you weave with. Warp – The strings that are on the loom and support the weaving.

Shuttle – A tool used to guide the weft through the warps.

Beat the Weaving – Pushing the weft threads into place with a rigid tool. (A fork or hair pick works very well) Selvedge – The very outside warp edge of the woven fabric. Shed – The space between raised and lowered warps for the weft to pass through.

Plain Weave – Over / Under Basket Weave – Over 2 / Under 2 Soumak– Weft wraps around the warps Rya– Weft threads are cut and tied onto warps