Rushern Baker IV facts for kids
Rushern "Rush" Baker IV, born on September 10, 1987, is an American painter. He also ran for a political position in the Maryland House of Delegates to represent District 22 in Prince George's County.
Early Life and Learning
Rushern Baker IV was born in Washington, DC on September 10, 1987. His father is Rushern L. Baker, III, who was a leader in Prince George's County. His mother is Christa Beverly. When he was four years old, his family moved to Cheverly, Maryland.
Rush Baker went to public schools in Prince George's County. He graduated from Suitland High School in Forestville, Maryland. He studied art in college. In 2009, he earned a degree in Fine Arts from Cooper Union. In 2012, he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale University. At Yale, he focused on painting and printmaking. He also won an award for his excellent drawing and painting from nature.
Art Career and Work
After finishing his studies at Yale, Baker moved back to Prince George's County. He works as an artist for himself. His art is often inspired by politics. People have said his work is "heavily influenced" by the science fiction books of author Octavia Butler. Her Afrofuturist novels, especially Parable of the Sower, have been a big inspiration.
In an interview from 2013, Baker shared his goal. He said, "I want my paintings to make people talk about policy, especially foreign policy." His artwork has been shown in many places. These include exhibitions in Maryland, DC, New York, Connecticut, California, North Carolina, Dubai, and Japan.
Currently, he teaches at the University of Maryland. He teaches classes on drawing and two-dimensional design. Before this, Baker helped manage a mobile arts program for young people. This program was supported by public funds. He was also an artist-in-residence at 39th Street Gallery. This gallery is part of The Gateway Arts Center in Brentwood, Maryland.
In 2019, Baker had an exhibition at Hemphill Fine Arts in Washington, DC. An art critic reviewed his work. The critic said that Baker's "energetic and frenetic abstractions" showed many concerns. These included challenges of being Black, the growing gap between rich and poor, and the spread of false information.
Public Service and Politics
In June 2022, Baker became the campaign manager for his father's campaign. His father was running for governor of Maryland in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election. His father's campaign ended later that month.
In January 2023, Baker decided to run for a political position himself. He wanted to fill a vacant spot in District 22 of the Maryland House of Delegates. This spot was left open by Alonzo T. Washington. However, on February 8, Baker announced he would no longer run. This decision came after Washington supported Baker's opponent, Ashanti Martinez.
In 2024, Baker was a delegate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. He supported Kamala Harris at the convention.
