The Kadir Nelson Children’s Author Luncheon was wonderful! If you missed it, at least do yourself a favor and at least check out his beautiful work. Nelson discussed his development as an artist, from confident five-year-old and reluctant reader, to conceptual artist for film, to successful children’s book illustrator and author. Most illuminating was Nelson’s detailed discussion of his process for We Are the Ship, his children’s book about the Negro Baseball League. Beyond his exacting artistic process, which including the extensive photographing of a willing model (himself) in the historic uniforms, Nelson also conducted in-depth research of League. He interviewed players, read tons of material on the subject, and went as far as to (among other things) identify what the scoreboard looked like the day that Jackie Robinson integrated the major leagues. It was an absolutely fascinating talk, and Nelson’s work is a testament to the depth, complexity and beauty possible in children’s literature.
There are 1 Comments to "Kadir Nelson"
Thanks for posting on the Kadir Nelson lunch.I found his work in visual development for Amistad a fascinating story. I also found it interesting that the only artists that I remember him referring to specifically were two female writers: Ntozake Shange and Nikki Giovanni. The writers had an impact on him and his work. I’d encourage you to visit Kadir Nelson’s website to learn more about his work as well as upcoming exhibits of his work from “We Are the Ship.”