Robert T. Freeman facts for kids

Robert Freeman, born in 1946, is an American artist and teacher. He is famous for his big, colorful oil paintings. His most well-known series is called Black Tie. These paintings show how African Americans felt as they built new lives after the 1960s and 1970s. Robert Freeman has won important awards for his art. He was also chosen to be part of the Boston Arts Commission in 2020.

Robert Freeman's Life and Work

Robert Freeman was born in Brooklyn, New York. He spent much of his childhood living in both Accra, Ghana and the United States. He studied art at Howard University for two years. Later, he moved to Boston University’s School of Visual Arts. There, he earned two degrees in art.

Freeman started his career as an Art Director in Weston Public Schools. This was from 1973 to 1981. In 1981, he became an Artist in Residence at the Noble and Greenough School. He worked there for 27 years. From 1988 to 1994, he also taught drawing and painting at Harvard University.

Freeman's paintings often show African American people. He uses bright, contrasting colors and lots of movement. His figures sometimes look almost abstract. His art is inspired by his childhood in Ghana and Washington, D.C.

The Black Tie Series

In 1981, Freeman created his series called Black Tie. In these paintings, he showed the "beauty, elegance and grace of the black middle class." He used his own experiences to create this art. Some of these Black Tie paintings were shown at Boston City Hall.

New Works and Mardi Gras Indians

Robert Freeman also created a series called New Works. These oil paintings have the energy of a jazz concert. Even though they show fun activities, they also have a deeper message. Freeman believes that society still struggles with including everyone. He said, "We still live in a very segregated world."

In 2018, Freeman worked with photographer Max Stern. They created a series called Mardi Gras Indians. For these paintings, Freeman used gold leaf and feathers. He wanted to capture the amazing costumes worn by Mardi Gras Indians during their parades.

Today, Robert Freeman lives in Jamaica Plain, MA. He works from his art studio in Waltham, MA.

Awards and Art Shows

In 2008, Robert Freeman's paintings were part of a special exhibit. It was called Five American Voices. His art was shown alongside famous artists like Romare Bearden and Alma Woodsey Thomas. This exhibit was at the Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C.

His Black Tie series is now part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s permanent collection. This means the museum owns these paintings forever. Over 40 years, Freeman has shown his art all over the country. You can find his paintings in many places. These include the National Center for African American Artists and the Boston Public Library. They are also at the DeCordova Museum and Brown University.

Freeman's paintings have been shown in many art galleries. They have also been featured in big exhibitions. These include shows at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University and the Williams College Museum of Art.

In 1997, Robert Freeman received a special award. It was the Distinguished Alumni Award from Boston University’s School of Visual Arts. More recently, in 2020, he joined the Boston Arts Commission. In this role, he helps decide where public art will be displayed across the city of Boston.