Faith Ringgold

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Faith Ringgold

• Artist and Writer
• In Her Own Words

Presented by Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Ehas 1st Grade
Class
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1. Faith Ringgold is best known for her painted
story quiltsart that combines painting, quilted
fabric and storytelling. She has written and
illustrated many childrens books. Brandon
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2. Faith RinggoldIn Her Own Words Ever since I
was a little girl, Ive always had a need to
express and communicate my ideas through art.
Zoe
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3. Being an artist, and a writer of childrens
books, is a fulfillment of my lifelong ambition.
Madeline
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4. However difficult my career as an artist has
been, my career as a childrens book writer and
illustrator has been just the opposite. Marissa
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5. Tar Beach, my first childrens book, was
published in 1991. But the story Tar Beach was
written in 1988 on a painted story quilt of the
same name. Jessica
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6. I wrote this story in a childs voice for
adults. My daughter told me A good writer has
to have a unique voice. The voice I found was
the voice of a child, and the child was in me.
Landon
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7. My quilts include all the art forms I love
painting, sewing, working with fabrics, and
storytelling. Elsa
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8. I became an artist for the same reason I
became a writer, I wanted to tell my story.
Jennifer
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9. In 1980 I made my first painted quilt, Echoes
of Harlem. I made this quilt with my mother. She
was a dressmaker and fashion designer. John
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10. My mother learned to sew from her mother, who
had learned from her mother, and so on back to my
great-great-grandmother Susie Shannon. Sammie
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11. My mother died in 1981. To honor her, I
committed myself to making a quilt every year in
her memory. Spencer
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12. I was born in Harlem in 1930. I was the baby
of my family, the youngest of 3 children. My
childhood was the most wonderful time of my life,
til now. Kaureen
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13. My mother took me to see the great performers
of the time and to museums and public landmarks
like the Statue of Liberty. She put me in touch
with the best. Lauren
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14. I went on to the City College of New York. I
majored in art and graduated from the School of
Education. Kerry
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15. Teaching is a tradition in my family, so I
became a teacher of art. That pleased my family,
but in my mind, I was an artist who taught art.
Mojo
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16. In 1979, I wrote a book and no one would
publish it. I began to find another way to
publish my writing. Nick
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17. Writing on quilts began in 1983 with the
painted story, Whos Afraid of Aunt Jemima?
Luke
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18. I have written many story quilts since 1983.
They are written in the same manner as my
childrens stories. Each section written on the
quilt is a page. Eric
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19. Today I am a professor of art at the
University of California at San Diego. I also
have 3 art studios. I have taught art to people
of all ages, and I can tell you for sure that the
little ones can hold their own with a paintbrush.
Kyra
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20. Writing childrens books has given me a way
to communicate my ideas and, hopefully, give back
to children some of the magic they have shown me.
Connor
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Faith Ringgold
http//www.faithringgold.com/ringgold/bio.htm