Manuelita Brown facts for kids

Manuelita Brown is an American sculptor from San Diego, California. She is known for creating beautiful statues and busts, especially of important African Americans. Her art often shows different cultures and styles.

About Manuelita Brown

Her Early Life and Learning

Manuelita Brown studied art for many years, starting in 1961. She learned about sculpture from famous artists like Bruno Lucchesi. She also studied at the Verrocchio Art Centre in Italy. Besides art, she earned a degree in Mathematics from Oregon State University in 1962. Later, she got a teaching license in 1966. She also earned a master's degree in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego in 1976.

Her Art Career

Manuelita Brown has her own art studio where she creates amazing sculptures. She makes many portraits of important African Americans. She also creates sculptures that show different cultures. Her art can be abstract, meaning it uses shapes and forms to express ideas. Some of her work is also figurative, looking like real people or things.

She often works with bronze, using a method called the "lost wax process." This is a special way to make metal sculptures. She retired from teaching in 2000 to work on her art full-time. Her work has been shown in many places. In 2018, her art was part of an exhibit called "Legacy in Black" at the San Diego History Center. People have even suggested her name to create a statue of Shirley Chisholm. Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress.

Famous Sculptures

Manuelita Brown has created many well-known sculptures. Here are some of them:

• 1993: A bust (a sculpture of someone's head and shoulders) of Thurgood Marshall. This is at Thurgood Marshall College, University of California, San Diego.
• 1995: A bust of Matthew Henson. This is at the James E. Lewis Museum of Art in Baltimore, MD.
• 1997: Almas del Mar (Souls of the Sea), located at Westfield UTC.
• 2006: A bust of Dr. Howard H. Carey, at Neighborhood House in San Diego, CA.
• 2008: Encinitas Child, located in Encinitas, CA.
• 2008: Triton, at the University of California, San Diego.
• 2015: A statue of Sojourner Truth. This is also at Thurgood Marshall College, University of California, San Diego.

Awards and Recognition

Manuelita Brown has received several awards for her artistic achievements:

• 2000: She was a finalist in a competition to create a memorial statue of Sojourner Truth in Florence, Massachusetts.
• 2002: She was named a "Woman of Distinction" by Soroptimist, an organization that helps women and girls.
• 2015: She received the Villager Award from Afram Global Organization Inc.