Sherald, Amy (1973-…), is an American painter. She is known for her paintings of African Americans, particularly for her use of grayscale in these paintings. Grayscale images consist exclusively of shades of gray. Sherald’s use of grayscale undercuts traditional notions about skin tone. Her paintings also feature bright accent colors and graphic patterns. Sherald gained national prominence in 2017, when she was selected to paint the official portrait of former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama . Her portrait of Obama hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Sherald was born on Aug. 30, 1973, in Columbus, Georgia . In 1997, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in painting from Clark-Atlanta University in Atlanta . In 2004, she received a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Sherald went on to study under other painters and participate in residency programs. She began specializing in painting African Americans in graduate school. Sherald believed that African American subjects had been underrepresented in the art world. In 2016, Sherald won first prize in the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. The award celebrates excellence in portraiture.
