Faith Ringgold

Hello! My name is Faith Ringgold. When I was a little girl, I lived in a wonderful place in New York City called Harlem. It was full of music, art, and amazing people. My mommy, Willi Posey, was a fashion designer. I loved watching her work with beautiful, colorful fabrics. I knew right away that I wanted to be an artist and make colorful things, too.

I loved to paint pictures, and I loved to sew, just like my mom. One day, I had a super-duper idea! What if I mixed my painting and my sewing together? So, I started making something special called 'story quilts.' I would paint a big picture right onto a piece of cloth. Then, I would sew other pieces of colorful fabric all around it to make a border, like a frame for a picture. Sometimes I even wrote my stories right onto the quilt! My quilts were like big, soft, cozy paintings that told a story.

One of my most famous story quilts is called 'Tar Beach.' It’s about a little girl who imagines she can fly high above the city lights. I loved that story so much that in 1991, I turned it into a picture book for children just like you to read. I wanted everyone to be able to see my pictures and hear my stories. I lived to be 93 years old, and my art and books are still here to share my stories with the world. I hope they inspire you to tell your own special stories, too.