The University of the Arts, through the Edith J. and Roy B. Simpson Master Class Series, is pleased to host celebrated Illustrator Kadir Nelson (b. 1974) in a Master Class presentation on Monday, January 8, 2018. Nelson, who has created artwork for a host of distinguished clients, will speak to his experience in the art of picture making, his illustrative process, and his career highlights to date. The program will take place at University of the Arts, 211 South Broad Street Caplan Theater, Terra Building, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19119.

The Edith J. and Roy B. Simpson Master Class Series is an annual event made possible by the generosity of Edith Simpson and Roy Simpson, noted art collectors, curators and patrons. The event is free of charge and open to the public. Please Register Here.

Kadir Nelson is an American artist who currently exhibits his artwork in galleries and museums nationwide and abroad. His paintings are in the private and public permanent collections of several notable institutions including the Muskegon Museum of Art, The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the International Olympic Committee, and the US House of Representatives.

Nelson has created artwork Sports Illustrated, The Coca-Cola Company, The United States Postal Service, Major League Baseball, and Dreamworks SKG as the lead conceptual artist creating for Steven Spielberg's Oscar® nominated feature film, "Amistad”. In December of 2014, Nelson’s striking painting of the late Nelson Mandela was featured on the cover of the New Yorker magazine. Within months, Nelson was asked by the magazine to create an updated painting of the magazine’s dandy, Eustace Tilley which was featured on the magazine’s 90th anniversary cover in February 2015. He also created artwork for Michael Jackson’s posthumously released album, “Michael,” and recording artist Drake’s, “Nothing Was The Same.” 

Nelson has also authored and illustrated several award-winning New York Times Best-Selling picture books including, “WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball” and “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans.” Nelson states, “I feel that art’s highest function is that of a mirror, reflecting the innermost beauty and divinity of the human spirit; and is most effective when it calls the viewer to remember one’s highest self. I choose subject matter that has emotional and spiritual resonance and focuses on the journey of the hero as it relates to the personal and collective stories of people."

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About the University of the Arts

Founded in 1876, the University of the Arts is one of the nation’s only universities dedicated solely to educating students in the visual and performing arts, design and writing. With nearly 1,900 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus in the heart of Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts, UArts students collaborate across disciplines and benefit from being in one of the nation’s most culturally vibrant cities.