Erika Cosby facts for kids

Erika Ranee Cosby (born April 8, 1965) is an American artist known for her colorful and thought-provoking paintings. She is the daughter of Camille Cosby, a philanthropist, and Bill Cosby, a famous comedian.

Growing Up and Going to School

Erika Ranee Cosby was born in Los Angeles, California. She was the oldest of five children. Her parents, Camille and Bill Cosby, gave all their children names that started with the letter E, which stood for "excellence."

Erika has two living sisters, Erinn and Evin. Her brother, Ennis, passed away in 1997, and her younger sister, Ensa, died from kidney disease in 2018.

After high school, Erika went to several universities to study art.

• She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University in 1987.
• She then went to the School of Visual Arts in New York City and got a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1989.
• In 1991, she received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

After finishing her master's degree, she attended a special nine-week summer art program at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine.

A Career in Art

Erika Cosby is known for her abstract paintings. This means her art focuses on colors, shapes, and feelings instead of trying to look exactly like something from the real world.

Her artwork often explores how people are shown in the media, like on TV or in magazines. She uses her art to comment on stereotypes, which are unfair and simplified ideas about groups of people. Through her paintings, she explores how these images affect African American culture.

Awards and Recognition

Cosby's talent has been recognized with several awards. She received a fellowship for painting from the New York Foundation for the Arts. A fellowship is a special award that gives artists money to help them continue their work.

From 2009 to 2010, she was an artist in residence at the Abrons Arts Center. This means she was given a space to work and create her art. In 2011, she was also given a studio grant from The Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation.

Teaching and Exhibitions

From 2012 to 2013, Cosby shared her knowledge as an adjunct art professor at New York University.

Her artwork has been shown in many galleries and group shows. In 2012, one of her pieces was part of a show called "It's a Small, Small World" in New York.

In 2014, her painting Hanging Out To Dry was displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art for its 50th anniversary. Cosby explained that the painting, which shows dolls hanging upside down on a clothesline, represents an uncertain future. The bright red colors show the strong feelings connected to how Black culture is often presented.

Curating and Community Support

In 2015, Cosby acted as a curator for a pop-up art show called "Eye Contact." A curator is someone who selects and organizes artwork for a show. The show was inspired by marchers who carried a banner with the eyes of Eric Garner. It featured art from many different artists.

Cosby also supports A Long Walk Home, an organization in Chicago that uses art to raise awareness and support community well-being.

Her work has been featured in galleries like SALTWORKS Contemporary Art, the Arlington Arts Center, and Artspace in Connecticut.